Interview: Matrefakt

Liverpool-based production pair Matrefakt have released their club-primed style of house music on labels like Of Unsound Mind, and Shall Not Fade, and quite recently debuted with Anja Schneider’s Sous Music.

Their 2-track False Promises EP combines the talents of an emerging duo with the experience of a veteran, as the original title track is paired with a brilliant remix from Anja herself.

We spoke to Matrefakt about the new tracks, how they go about selecting which label to release with, their own Attitudes To Life imprint, and more. Get the full discussion below.

You released your False Promises EP with Sous Music at the end of last month, what’s the inspiration behind this one?

False Promises is a track we’ve had finished for a while now, it started with the piano melody, we had it written for a different track but the fit wasn’t right and it was a melody we really liked so we decided it should be a track of its own, we literally started with the piano and a kick and built everything else around that.

Alongside the original track, it also includes a remix from Anja Schneider, it must feel good to have someone like her remix your music?

Of course! Anja has so much understanding of the scene and dance music in general, for her to remix a track of ours was a real boost and give’s us a lot of confidence for the future moving forward.

You have also released on Of Unsound Mind, and Shall Not Fade, what kind of things do you usually consider when you’re scouting for a label?

It depends really, there isn’t one way that we approach things, the relationship we have with the label can play a part, or it can be a label that we are fans of that has released a lot of tracks that we like.

Another big thing with scouting for a label is that we sometimes make tracks that we don’t feel are right for our own, so will then try to find the best home we can for them elsewhere.

And which other labels might we expect to see you on soon?

Hopefully a few! The plan was always to explore other labels a bit more this year than we have in the past, so far we have a couple of releases planned that we are excited about, we have tracks coming on a local label called Abandon Silence, which is exciting because they also do parties in the city where we have played before and visited as fans over the years.

After that will be a release on Mella Dee’s Warehouse Music, we have known Ryan for a while now so to get a release out on his label feels right and it is one we feel very strongly about.

Your own imprint, Attitudes To Life, what plans do you have for that in 2021?

We have literally just finished finalising the plans for this year, the next release will be ATL007, and having had a little extra time on our hands over the past 12 months we decided to try a tribute to one of our favourite movie series, we’re sure you can guess which one haha. This will be going out as a digital bonus alongside the physical release, the lead track will be ‘Krave’ a track we have had quite a bit of interest in.

Later in the year for ATL008 we will be showcasing a few collabs we have done with some local producers that we are very excited about!

And have you set yourselves any other goals for this year?

Our goals are always the same really, we just want to share as much of our music with as many people as possible in as many ways as possible.

We’ll hopefully be getting back on the dancefloor this summer, what’s something you miss most about playing in clubs?

The energy right away for starters and then after that just the general togetherness that going to a club brings.

Matrefakt’s False Promises EP is out now on Sous Music.