EP REVIEW - MATKA - Baumhütte

MATKA

Baumhütte

Sweden/Berlin

Swedish-based group #Matka add a sprinkle of uniqueness to my finds this week. The group presented me with their latest EP release entitled #Baumhütte. One thing that I love when discovering new artists is delving deeper beneath the surface to find their inspiration, their driving forces and their creative processes. When delving into my search into #Matka I found a lot to showcase about their journey.

#Matka has a special origin story indeed. Their journey began in a television shoot where the duo first met. Swedish singer/artist Ulrika Segerberg and the German musician/film-maker Martin Kleinmichel "bumped into each other" and the rest is history. After meeting their first creations were through the mathcore post-hardcore band “Kratze” in Berlin before creating their own project. Here the multilingual lyrics of Segerberg and Kleinmichel's eclectic electro sound combined to create the iconic duo today known as #Matka. Since then, the duo has grown together in songwriting and their new tracks cover a wider stylistic variety from triphop ambient to electro and jazz. Ever since then the duo have been growing together in songwriting skills to offer listeners new tracks that cover a wider stylistic variety from triphop ambient to electro and jazz.

The story of their latest EP release is an intriguing one that consists of one title track with four interpretations. The title? Baumhütte. The piece came together during the duo spending their holiday in the woods. Their tales are told through their musical content but also through their visuals.

Through Baumhütte #Matka speaks of separation and new beginnings through concepts of free falling and star watching as well as paying attention to living forms of nature such as ants and butterflies. The whole production is extremely mindful from start to end in all of its variations. Could it be that the four versions of one song are a dedication to the four seasons and/or the four elements?

Opening with Baumhütte (Single Mix) gives listeners the original concept. Full of experimental dark pop elements the heavy bass brings a feel of techno into the production, perfect for setting the dark scene of the piece. There's a feel of hauntedness through the way that the vocals are layered and harmonised. They bring listeners into a trance like state offering something very hypnotic and dark. Baumhütte (Woodpecker Remix) is a clever interpretation! The way that the trance like bass bubbles within the production imiates a woodpecker pecking on a tree. This offers a new perspective whilst offering listeners the same lyrical content. Baumhütte (Stargazing Remix) brings a lighter feel, something less haunting and more futuristic both in vocal performance and in production value. Here there's a clear bassline that carries the piece along with bell synth melodies and a subtle percussion in the background. This piece is artistically genius and marks the first clear cut variety of the piece! Baumhütte (Kai Concept Remix) is a Liquid Drum and Bass lovers dream! I really enjoyed this version! There's a real upbeat feel about the piece that has been achieved through the use of dominating percussion whilst keeping listeners in the dreamy dark space of bass. The space like stargazing elements found in the Stargazing remix also come to play within this production. This is such a great variety of interpretations of the same foundation. I thoroughly enjoyed all pieces here!

---