Influences: Matthew Styles
Matthew Styles played a pivotal role in the development of the London electronic music scene in the mid-2000’s, spending years managing behind the scenes at Cross-Town Rebels and at the infamous Sunday funday debauchery that was Dig Your Own Rave at Shoreditch’s T Bar.
No one-trick pony, Styles soulful house music creations were always kept simmering along nicely alongside, eventually becoming a staple signing to the likes of Classic, Running Back and Ostgut Ton. With the imminent release of his Metro EP and in celebration of his birthday today, we catch up with him to talk influences…
Pre-order Matthew Styles Metro EP HERE
Some of the first records I remember owning was a few of the Electro series on Street Sounds, this was on one of them, still sounds great now. Those sleazy vibes that work so well, I think he paints quite a picture with his lyrics, which as a young kid left quite an impression. He (deservedly) had a bit of a renaissance recently, easy to see why, quite influential stuff.
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The Egyptian Lover-My House (On The Nile)Some of the first records I remember owning was a few of the Electro series on Street Sounds, this was on one of them, still sounds great now. Those sleazy vibes that work so well, I think he paints quite a picture with his lyrics, which as a young kid left quite an impression. He (deservedly) had a bit of a renaissance recently, easy to see why, quite influential stuff.
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Take That To The Bank / ShalamarSuch a strong opening hook in this record, could never get enough of Shalamar when I was a kid. I remember being in my parents car in the summer with this one playing. Been sampled a few times in house records, and I’m always a sucker for the Rhodes in this.
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Aleem - Get Loose (Dub Mix)We used to take a lot of family holidays in the USA between 83-87, we would spend a month or 6 weeks there, my dad used to buy a lot of records
to take home around that time. I had some ideas about breakdancing after all those films around that time, quite a good record to body pop too, not that I was any good at it! -
Dave Angel - Fallen DestinyQuite an underrated techno record in my opinion, very soulful. I had it on a mixtape, which was kind of my introduction to real underground sound. Definitely a moment for me when I found people mixing stuff like this with things like…
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Intense - Holding On (Ace Beat Records)Tony Tony Tony…… classic, definitive Jersey sound. Uplifting positive vibes with a touch of melancholy. Really a favourite from this era.
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Robinson Wall Project - Family Prayer (1993)John Robinson was a great DJ and producer, part of the infamous Smack outfit. Sadly left us in the late 90’s. Lost my shit when my wife played this at Panorama Bar a few years ago. Maybe it sounds kind of naive these days but the vibe in these records give such good energy to the dancers.
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Quadrant - Q1.1/1I’m not sure what really links Jersey Garage to dub techno, but somehow it feels right. Maybe it’s like one of those Lil Louis records? It’s such a perfect track, hypnotic, building trance-like intensity. Such a special time when the deep European techno sound and US house kind of got mixed up and influencing each other a bit.
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Black Rascals - Keeping My MindI could have chosen any Black Rascals record, they all left such a deep impression on me: so deep and true, I can feel the heartache in the delivery, and those beats so simple but perfectly mixed to propel the track along. Special stuff.
