We Love… Artist Portraits 01: Mat Playford out July 18th
An Ibiza institution and worldwide musical family, We Love… create a new introspective album series for 2011 with their newest resident, Mat Playford at the helm for episode 1. A hybrid take on the traditional album format, ‘Artist Portrait’ spans two discs with the first housing entirely original material and the second a reflection of current musical inspirations.
The Artist Portrait series aims to exhibit the musical innovation and diversity of We Love’s artists and provide the listener with something more considered than the average compilation mix. The first in the series comes from Mat Playford, a seasoned producer known for his old school approach to production, fervent keyboard skills and deep love of all things analogue. Mat recently constructed a custom-built keyboard and effects machine to showcase his elaborate live set for We Love… an endearing statement to his dedication and enthusiasm.
Disc one features nine original productions from Mat Playford and his alternate guise, Weirdo Police, his duo formed together with co-conspirator Tom Gray. Spanning the past six years of their time in the studio, these spacey creations include star vocalists such as Crazy P’s Danielle Moore (Can’t Reach) and Shelly Poole of Alisha’s Attic fame (Pretty Thing) as well as Mercury Music Prize winner, Talvin Singh on tabla (Kung Fu). A beguiling journey into the heart of Mat’s musical vision, these productions are dreamlike and evocative and sketch out more mature and discerning shades to his infamous previously seen live shows and known material.
Various
We Love… Artist Portraits 01: Mat Playford
Label: We Love Recordings
Cat no: WLR01
Web: www.welove-music.com
Distribution: Prime
Released: Monday July 18th, 2011
Tracklist
- Weirdo Police – Evidence
- Weirdo Police featuring Talvin Singh – Kung Fu
- Weirdo Police – Alfredo
- Weirdo Police featuring Danielle Moore – Can’t Reach
- Mat Playford – That Experience
- Mat Playford – Transmoog
- Weirdo Police – Luca
- Weirdo Police featuring Shelly Poole – Pretty Thing
- Weirdo Police – Barbican
- Weirdo Police – Missed Wish (Mat Playford’s Last Meteor Mix) (Social Problem)
- Ford Inc. – Delirium (Throne Of Blood)
- Salt City Orchestra – Downtime (Paper Recordings)
- Luca C Brigante and Ali love – Different Morals (Mat Playford Super Moon Rework) (Southern Fried)
- Joe Morris – Velocity Heights (Social Problem)
- Kerri Chandler & Christopher McCray – Heaven (Phil Asher’s Restless Soul Dub) (Mad House)
- Pariah – Prism (R&S Records)
- Mutiny – Deep Blue / Mason feat Roisin Murphy – Bodecia (Acapella) (Animal Language)
- Onionz – Chasing Death (Electric Soul)
- Mat Playford and Tim Deluxe – Back 2 The Rocket (Skint)
- Mat Playford – Analogue Tear (Intimacy music) / Salt City Orchestra – The Book (Acapella) (Paper Recordings)
- Tim Deluxe – Face The Music (Skint)
Mat Playford is a unique entity beholding bags of charisma and a style that shimmers with disco while incorporating the otherworldly dimensions of ambient cuts as well as sharp acidic bleeps and beats. Delivering a Balearic spirit in this project, his familiar intergalactic footprint is still etched throughout. Renowned for a superior level of production, this Artist Portrait only highlights his aptitude and old pop sensibilities while remaining true to his analogue roots.
“The early synth artists Jean Michelle Jar, Giorgio Moroder, Herbie Hancock, and Paul Hardcastle have shaped me – they have so much more feeling and harmonics. The main basis of my sound in the studio is inspired by 80s synths. I have owned over 30 in my time and I´ve had this obsession since I was around 5 years old!” explains Mat of his approach to music. “I think stuff like this runs really deep into your system. They say you don´t have a conscious mind until you’re 7 years of age and up until that point your subconscious is just a sponge sucking up information and influences around you. When I was very young two of my uncles owned crazy keyboards. Also a huge influence was my mother´s dance studio in the early 80s where I actually played the music, both vinyl and tape, in her aerobic classes.”
Mat Playford makes original and frequently obscure choices for disc two including collaborations with close friends and musical peers, Paul Woolford (as Ford Inc) and Tim Deluxe. “I didn’t want it to be too obvious, I’m a musical person so I always try to make more considered choices.“ Exclusive tracks on the mix include Mat’s rework of Luca C Brigante featuring Ali Love, Mutiny and Joe Morris, soon to be released on Playford’s own Social Problem label. The result is an elegant and radiant blend, rich in musicality that will stand the test of time. “The compilation came about from Mark Broadbent’s belief in me and my sets at We Love… where I needed to constantly arm myself with new music.”
“Over the past 14 years we have had an incredible amount of talent pass through the doors of We Love… Space. We have dabbled with the now generic mix CDs and ultimately felt dissatisfied with the product due to one reason or another. When Mat Playford approached us with the collection of music that he had been working on I was immediately taken aback due to the fact that the music he now presented me with had only a slight resemblance to music that I had heard him playing on the terrace at We Love… I was sold, I love music in its many different styles and genres and this ticked a few boxes for me personally and showed us a way in which we could release an album giving proper and full support to an artist we believe in.” Mark Broadbent (Musical Director of We Love..Muzic) Summer 2011
We Love… has become Ibiza’s most iconic brand. Welcoming the biggest and most exciting musical talent through the doors of Space in over a decade on the island, it now has hold of the global dance music consciousness spreading its message at some of finest nightspots and festivals of the world. The new Artist Portrait series aims to divulge the musical ethos of the artists that are closest to its heart, reflecting both their work in the studio and persona in the club. Each body of work represents rather than defines the artist’s sound, capturing the essence of that artist’s output and creativity like a portrait at the time of composition.
MAT PLAYFORD TOUR DATES
30th May The loft, london
4th June Throne of blood, London
12th June We Love.. Space
17th July We Love.. Space
14th Aug Portrait showcase (secret ibiza location)
28th August SW4 festival (mat playford live set)
11th Sept (Weirdo Police live show)
more TBA
extramusicnew.wordpress.com 
May 18, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Well done to all involved. Will be great release for the summer. Mat – I’ve always believed in you and great to see Mark, Space and others see that too. Good stuff everyone.