Having has been producing his own samples since 1992, and has sung internationally since he was 9, the London based French artist Matsai has been working with Ninja Tune and its founders Coldcut (Matt Black and Jon More) since 2007, both as a composer, producer, singer (live and studio), multi instrumentist, audiovisual engineer, VJ and cameraman for live VJing.
Prior to that, his music had been remixed by the German producers Tiefschwarz, who have worked with artists like Madonna, Depeche Mode, Goldfrapp, Masters at Work, Missy Elliott and Groove Armada.
MATSAI'S FIRST RELEASE IS AN INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS
Matsai's first maxi was luckily performed on underground radios all over the world, including Britain's BBC1, France's best two electronic radios Radio Nova and Radio FG, all over Europe, in Russia, Australia, and in some radios in the US.
Matsai also appeared on 3 CD compilations from the French label Missive, one of which went on TV advertising.
The sleeve from his first maxi "He Boomah" had been designed by MTV video awards winners H5, who have worked for artists like Massive Attack and Air. Matsai actually didn't know it at the time, and just found out about a year after the release of the album, by accidentally typing their name on the internet.
The record company, Missive Music, had actually orchestrated the release while Matsai was busy trying to make a living from honest non musical work in the south of France. He also couldn't understand the name of the German producers the first 10 times it as spelled to him (God forbid), and actually didn't know they were that big. The tune that he had sent to that record company was actually the first one Matsai had composed on his first personal computer.
FROM ELECTRONIC MUSIC COMPOSITION BACK TO ORGANIC MUSIC
Since then, he desesperately tried to find a way between his roots, which are hip hop / abstract hip hop / jazz, soul, reggae and funk (not forgetting indie rock, the Beatles and India), and his past as a singer and later guitarist in rock bands.
He eventually found ways to mix these 2 influences, and this debut album is the result of this marriage between organic and tech, between nature and computers, between instruments and samples.
COLDCUT
On the way, in 2007, during a trip in India, Matsai met Matt Black, co-founder of the British label Ninja Tune and of the band Coldcut, famous for their VJing experiments and commitment to the environment.
Matsai had been deeply influenced by Ninja Tune 10 years before, and he only found out who he was talking to after 2 hours of conversation and an improvisation on one of Matsai's song in his room. Since then, Matt Black offered Matsai to come and work for him in London, and invited him to tour with him internationally as his assistant all over Europe.
MATSAI'S DEBUT ALBUM(electro / pop / reggae / trip hop) comes from the underground British and French scene.
Numerous guests have participated to this album recorded worldwide: France, England, the USA (New York and San Francisco), and India (in South India and in the Hymalayan mountains in the North)
On this first album, Matsai plays guitar, bass, keyboards, synthesizers, drum programming and samples, while also singing, producing and arranging.
The videoclip "I Say Yeah" was fimed and edited by the New York producer Knox, who has had some his graffiti footage documentary featured in the movie "Exit through the gift shop", by world's most famous street artist:Banksy.
FOUNDER OF COCO DING DING AUDIOVISUALS:
Matsai is also the founder of the audiovisual label Coco Ding Ding (www.cocodingding.com).
He performed as a VJ (live visual mixing) and audiovisual producer at the National Film Theatre (British Film Institute) for the bicentenary of Darwin's birth, at the launch of theBBC series "This is England", produced by Warp - in presence of all the cast.
for the launch of the US blockbuster "Watchmen", and at arguably London's best club: Fabric.
FOUNDER OF OUR HOME IS BURNING (ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIOVISUAL SHOW):
Matsai aka Mat Hourteillan is also the director and founder of the environmental audiovisual show "Our Home Is Burning", created in partnership with many reputable international NGOs.
