EDMinsider Interviews DJ/Producer Matt Lange

One can definitely say that New York DJ Producer Matt Lange is quite knowledgeable about the music industry. Besides being a Berklee College of Music Alum, the progressive musician has had the opportunity of working with the Anjunadeep label and has been featured on the newest label compilation Anjunadeep 04. Bringing us “In and Out of Phase” with Andrew Bayer and beyond, EDMinsider.com chats with Matt Lange in an exclusive interview in regards to new 2012 releases, as well as plans for his new record label isoRhythm.

EDMinsider 1. When did you first know you were interested in pursuing a career as a DJ? How has your degree in Music Synthesis from Boston’s Berklee College of Music had an affect on your career as a DJ/Producer opposed to those without any technical training?

Matt Lange: I still don’t consider myself a DJ. I grew up performing music pretty much my entire life, and I never really considered doing anything else aside from being involved in music making in some form. As far as what I learned from Berklee, it solidified a lot of stepping stones in the process of learning sound design and engineering. It’s the kind of thing though where my skill set comes from the sum of all parts, and not just one. Berklee indeed taught me to harness certain skills, but so much more comes from actual experience.

EDMinsider 2.Throughout your career so far, your tracks have been supported by labels including Armada, Anjunabeats, Black Hole, among others. What would you say has been your favorite release and why?

Matt Lange: Without a doubt, Avalon. When I was in elementary school I sung in a boy choir for 7 years, and after my voice changed I was really uncomfortable with it until recently. Avalon combines so many of my favorite and personal elements, be it my voice, my guitars, a more experimental breakdown, a lot of acoustic elements. It’s the most “me” sounding piece I’ve written.

EDMinsider 3. What is your absolute favorite aspect of being a DJ/Producer? Which DJs in the industry would you say inspire your work the most? Why?

Matt Lange: My favorite part of being a producer is certainly the variety of work I do. From writing my own music, to running around the world with microphones, sound design, to even doing the occasional dj gig. The diversity makes it so easy to stay interested and passionate in what I do. As far an influences go, from a DJ’ing standpoint it’s Sasha and John Digweed, separately or together. From a production standpoint, Hybrid, Quivver, Telefon Tel Aviv, Richard Devine.

EDMinsider 4.Your newest single alongside Andrew Bayer entitled “In and Out of Phase” will be released later this month on the Anjunabeats label. How did the collaboration between you and Andrew spark? What was the inspiration behind the title of the track?

Matt Lange: Andrew and I had been planning on doing something forever, and Anjunadeep was planning on releasing an EP of collaborations, so that was kind of the motivation to finally do it. However, we ended up not giving it to them for that EP as we felt it was something that could be really special and we wanted it to stand on it’s own. The title is actually a phrase I had written down on a piece of paper on my desk, possibly had been considering it as an album title, and I decided to donate the title to our track so that it actually got some use!

EDMinsider 5. In 2011, you introduced the world to your brand new record label, isoRhythm. What plans do you have for new artists and tracks on the label, as well as your vision for the company as a whole?

Matt Lange It’s pretty vague at the moment. IsoRhythm’s really just my own creative outlet at this point, in the sense of whenever I have something I’d rather just release on my own, be it music or sound design libraries, it’s there. Currently I’m not releasing any other artists as frankly I don’t have the time or the interest to be an A&R.

EDMinsider 6. Recently playing alongside other New York natives Zack Roth and Hyperbits last week at New York City’s National Underground, how do you feel that being from New York has influenced your work as a DJ/Producer?

Not too much! I never even got into house music until after I had graduated college, and my first experiences with it were really in Washington DC. Back when I was growing up in New York, I was much more into metal, punk rock and post rock type bands. That said, Aphex Twin’s Richard D. James album was absolutely huge for me during high school, and that certainly influenced the type of music I was writing later while at Berklee.

EDMinsider 7. What can fans expect in the upcoming months from Matt Lange as far as upcoming gigs or new releases?

Gig wise, I’ll be in Miami in March during the week of WMC, probably playing a gig or two, and I might be back in NYC in April for another. Release wise, I/O Phase comes out February 27 with some absolutely killer remixes, one of them notably from drum and bass legends Calyx & Teebee. They’ve been huge influences of mine for years, and I’m so honored they agreed to remix it! I’ll also be re-releasing an album called “The Answer To The Question You Forgot To Ask,” on IsoRhythm in March. I wrote it between 2006-2007, and it’s more along the down tempo, glitchy IDM style I was writing at that time. I finally have the rights back from the label that originally released it in 08, and I’m very pleased to be able to give it a second life, along with a couple unreleased tracks as well that weren’t on the original release.

Listen to the new collaboration from Matt Lange & Andrew Bayer – In & Out of Phase (Original Mix) just released on 2/27!