Audio: Matador introduces the sound of RUKUS

There are few live acts in techno that achieve the heady heights of global success, but Gavin Lynch (aka Matador) has managed to do just that. The Irish producer has played 52 times so far this year, taking his live set to festivals and clubs everywhere from Slovenia to Brazil and more. Lynch’s career in music started with a job as a sound engineer, until early productions for labels like Perc Trax made him one of Dublin’s most exciting new names. He then famously fell into Richie Hawtin’s tight-knit M_nus crew in 2011, making regular Ibiza appearances to play for huge international crowds at ENTER. with a live set that remains one of electronic music’s most sought after. More recently Lynch launched his label RUKUS, an outlet he’s mostly used to put out his own material alongside newer signings like the Brazilian artist ANNA. On 1st December Lynch brings RUKUS to Room One, where he plays live alongside ANNA and longtime peer Paco Osuna. Ahead of his first label showcase in the club, he sent over a mix expressing the sound of the label, before discussing how the curation for his Room One takeover fell into place. Download: Matador RUKUS x fabric Presents Promo Mix How and where did you record this mix? It was recorded at home in what was a sitting room until not too long ago, it’s now a space where I get ideas started and pre-production stuff. I recorded it through a pair of SSL preamps converted by Apogee into Logic. The equipment I used was pretty much the main components of my live set-up: A MacBook Air, Ableton, Antelope Orion 32 Soundcard, Model 1 Mixer, Maschine and K2 Midi controllers. What was the main idea behind it? I wanted to showcase a lot of the music I’ve been recording, playing and releasing this year. Apart from two remixes I did earlier this year, it’s all my own music, with lots of unreleased material. How much does your background in sound engineering help you in production? It helps a lot. I like to know why things are happening, and everything that’s happening in my studio. It was important to have these skills early on! Do you ever feel playing your own music makes you more exposed in a live performance? Perhaps at the start, but it has become second nature now. Having plenty of material to work with in a live environment keeps you sane. What made you decide to sign other producers to RUKUS this year? I was getting sent a lot of music, and there were a few tracks that I was into, so I said let’s do it! Can you talk more about the billing for the night? ANNA was the first artist besides myself to release original tracks on RUKUS, she also remixed a track from my album. We’ve played quite a bit over the past year, and she smashes it every time. Having her on board was a no-brainer! Paco and myself go back a long time, we’ve played together on many occasions and it’s always a scream! Paco delivered one of the standout remixes of my Ructions LP last year, and he’s without a doubt one of the best in the business. Having a legend and friend alongside me for the first RUKUS party means a great deal.