Listed as one of UKF’s “ones to watch” in 2016, the 20-year-old Memtrix delivers a knockout punch in the form of his forthcoming Towers EP, released on September 23 on the forward-thinking Sotto Voce imprint. Taking a cue from label boss Feed Me/Spor, the Kent native pushes his sound to the breaking point, drawing inspiration not only from a wide range of music genres but also from what he terms “other mediums of art.”
Whatever the inspiration, the concerted effort behind the scenes definitely make its mark on the final product as crossover vocal-driven bits like “Curses” and “Gloom Body” pave the way for one of our heavyweight favorites off the EP: “They Were Shadowless.” Dark and melancholy vibes hang over the foreboding intro before giving way to the lurching tune proper that unleashes an epic soundscape and unique vibe that is instantly captivating and impressive.
Check the exclusive premiere of “They Were Shadowless” below followed by an in-depth conversation with Memtrix himself as he breaks down the EP and offers up a glimpse into his continued evolution in the future.
This is your first solo release on Sotto Voce and it is a killer! How did the Spor hook up come about?
We got together at the start of last year to work on a few tunes. He’d heard a track I was working on and hit me up asking if I’d be up for a collaboration, which ended up being “Darkest Hours”. We seemed to click instantly once that started, and it didn’t take long for the idea of me putting some music out [on the label] to arise. I’ve always been keen on the idea of releasing music with a close knit label who take care and effort with each release rather than just spewing them out constantly without much thought going in. Jon [aka Feed Me/Spor] seems to get me and my music completely and also where I want to gradually take it, so it seemed like a natural thing to start putting out records with him and Sotto Voce.
There’s a nice live vibe to these tunes; is that something you’re trying to push more as you move forward?
Yeah, it was an essential thing for me to start bringing live recordings and instruments back in to my music. The whole Memtrix project began as a bit of fun really, and it was all electronic-based, as I was doing all of my other guitar and vocal-based music on the side. But as the project started to evolve and it started to become a full blown career for me, I had to start incorporating more elements of the things that mean the most to me and the things that make the creative process more real and vibrant. The combination of either an electronic basis of a track scoured with live recordings or vice versa is something that really excites me and is something I’m continuing to pursue and extend on.
What’s the “Curses” vocal about exactly?
I won’t delve too much in to that as I think it’s much cooler a lot of the time for people to make their own interpretations and incorporate lyrics in to their own lives and experiences rather than see it through mine. But the general context is about being too toxic or harmful for someone that means a lot to you—someone that cares a lot about you, too—but then being willing to distance and alienate yourself from them so that they’re better off.
We’re stoked to be able to premiere “They Were Shadowless,” especially as it seems to build on the dark vibes we see lurking around the edges of the project.
It definitely sets the tone and atmosphere for the EP pretty bluntly and abrasively, but in a positive way I think. I just wanted to write an all-out dark and scary club track that was to the point and effective. There’s quite a lot more acoustic percussion compared to my usual stuff which I really like, and even though it’s primarily a dancefloor track I still think it takes the listener on a journey; that’s generally my aim for this kind of music anyway. It was a lot of fun to make.
What’s next after the Towers EP drops?
I have a single coming out in November on Sotto Voce, and after that there’s a whole release schedule in place for next year, which I haven’t really had before. I’ve written so much music this year that I’m finally able to start getting it out on a more regular basis. Towers definitely sets the benchmark for the evolving sound and vibe of this project, and things are going to be progressing in a lot more of an interesting and artistic way than before. I’m really excited; it feels like a new beginning for me.
Any final shouts you want to get out there?
A big shout out to the new team of people I’ve been working with this year, and also to all of the people that are supporting me and showing love, even if it’s just listening to the new music. It means a lot.