If you’ve ever seen footage of Chicago kids dancing in nightclubs throughout the late 80s and early 90s, you are probably familiar with the underground Club Kid Culture that emerged and spread like wildfire around the globe. It was a time of wild parties, crazy costumes, and heavy drug use. But, it was also a time of creative self expression fueled by fashion, art, and a very specific kind of music — house. Introduced to the scene by club DJs and producers, it was minimalist and predominantly electronic, which made it similar to —and yet distinctly different from — disco.
Today, house music is harder to come by, although in some parts of Germany and the UK, it is still a favorite past-time of club patrons and house aficionados. Although it’s not my favorite type of music, it is certainly a nice blast from the past when I come across something new and refreshing with the old-school sound I know so well, which is why the new record Music is My Life by the Platinum Award-winning producer-engineer Matt Warren was such a pleasant surprise. Featuring an awesome 11-songs, the record has both remakes of older tracks and original compositions.
"This is my first release of my own music in ten years. I've been producing, engineering and remixing for others, but have not focused on my creative needs for a long time. I felt like I wanted to do a record that reflects my journey as both a musician and DJ. I really wanted to give that old school feel to the songs..I guess what I mean is to record ‘real music’ with live instruments and arrangements...which are kind of a homage of all the music I grew up listening to."
Having been part of the club house scene for the better part of the last four decades, Warrens expertise perfectly shines through on Music is My Life, because it literally is. He’s worked with some of the biggest names in electronic, pop, and underground music. The incredible composition on “Musica Es Mi Vida” is fantastic thanks to the awesome use of horns and, what I assume is, real bass. The funk elements on “The Way to My Heart” are impossible not to dance to and “La Rosa” is so full of character, it is probably my favorite track on the album, with its gypsy style flamenco influences and captivating live guitar.
Teaming up with some heavy hitters in the music industry, Matt Warren created a really great album full of energy, a diverse amount of influences from different genres, and a level of professionalism that speaks for itself (see the disco remix of “Catch Me If You Can"). Simply put, Music is My Life is a fantastic record that is perfect for an evening of fun, dancing, and a real dose of nostalgia. Check out more from Matt Warren here!
Note* Album provided for objective review by our partners.