REVIEW: Matrixxman at Mycelium Studios
THE HARD-WORKING :AFFINITY TEAM delivers another winner with USA’s Matrixxman…
An idea birthed from the minds behind the steadily growing Equinox Events and industry powerhouse Untitled Group, :affinity is on a definitive mission to connect musical enthusiasts with international talent in both the house and techno spheres.
Well into their debut year, the collective has already been able to showcase international heavyweights such as Brame & Hamo, John Talabot, Regal, Tin Man and 747. On an initially warm & sunny Saturday, it was the avant-garde approach of Matrixxman next on the exhibit list for their eagerly anticipating attendees.
Stretching north of the city, just on the cusp of Thornbury is the inconspicuous Mycelium Studios Basement, a space many wouldn’t have experienced or even been aware of prior to the day. Walking up the driveway towards security, you’d be forgiven for wondering if you were even in the right place.
But sure enough, following the directions of the door security through an unassuming side-door, you soon leave the outside world behind, for a new one that’s comprised of the bare essentials: a booming-but-crisp sound system and hypnotic laser lighting, courtesy of Lightning Lighting and Synergy Events.
In line with the gradual but inevitable filling of the dancefloor by an eager crowd, preceding local acts Budgey [Equinox Events], Different Shades [LOADING_ERROR] and SANCTUM [:affinity/Equinox Events] helped set the stage, the latter in particular energising the crowd with an efficacious, high-tempo set full of pounding kicks that quickly saw to a rapid migration from the outdoor smoking area.
Around half an hour before his set time, Charles M. Duff, the American DJ more commonly known as Matrixxman, strode into the artist booth with a level of nonchalance that you’d expect from someone who regularly plays at some of the biggest clubs on the planet - Berghain, Fabric London & Bassiani to name just a few.
Matrixxman
Having earlier this year mixed Resident Advisor’s 666th mix, comprised of an astounding 33 new tracks of his own making, you’d be forgiven for thinking Duff as a task-at-hand type of operator at work. However, he cut an unperturbed figure as he candidly fielded questions about his career, and enquired with interest about the Melbourne scene prior to his set.
As 9 PM ticked over, Duff took control of the decks as Matrixxman, alongside the flashing :affinity cube which seemed to draw particular attention from those closest to the stage. The next two hours were made to feel like one extended song, thanks in part to the flawless mixing of the man himself, who relentlessly rolled out a myriad of driving kick drums and basslines. As these ebbed and flowed, Matrixxman’s arsenal of music was there for all to see, the tempo never faltering as the crowd greeted each drop with new energy, enjoying the introduction and extraction of a series of purpose-produced samples.
After an encapsulating couple of hours, the set came to a bittersweet conclusion, and rapturous applause greeted the American – to which he responded in a similar fashion.
Though Matrixxman’s job was over, the majority of the crowd hadn’t yet had enough. Fortunately for them, fütwerk [:affinity/Equinox Events] had prepared for such an occasion, and to the great pleasure of the crowd were willing providers of an even faster tempo. Strong performances at Victorian festivals over the last 18 months and a monthly residency at Melbourne hotspot Xe54 have seen them hone their skills and musical tastes, and the duo didn’t hold back on a crowd that didn’t want the night to end.
Unfortunately for the loving masses, all good things do come to an end, and as the venue was reluctantly vacated, you could already feel the excitement for what the increasingly transcendent :affinity group was going to show Melbourne next.