"I just can't go back to where I was before..."
If you could take ample samples of Sunderland-born Mattie Vant's blood, so much that he would die if it was not replaced quickly, centrifuge this life giving material and somehow distil the D.N.A in to his sonic blood (and sweat and tears), it would sound like his 3rd recently released album ironically (or not) called "Extinction Ballads". Known by his musical moniker Vant, Mattie wrote every second on the 13 track album, self performs every aspect and self produced. It represents the sound, the direction he has been moving towards. I think "Self" would of been a great sort of simple title but that's just me.
In the track "I Guess I'll End up Being One of Those People You Used as Well" amid potent guitar lines, ramping up drum beats, splashes of sound and punching downbeats painting a picture done up with swirls of indie rock twists, dream pop mirrored surfaces and post punk revelry with driving bass lines and Mattie's bouncing melodies turning on his layered harmonies. He sings, "I just want to be myself... I can't be no one else". The thing is, all any of us can be is ourselves but as an artist there are forces inside and out that sometimes don't want us to be. The move to actualize as a human, as a partner, as a friend, as a lover, as a son or daughter, as a husband or wife, as a parent is, for some of us, a life quest and coalescing all that into one's art if you are so inclined to do so, if you are a bit of a masochist, might make the journey a bit more complicated.
via Dumb Blood Records: https://dumbbloodrecords.bandcamp.com/album/extinction-ballads-digital-edition
-Robb Donker Curtius
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
https://www.facebook.com/wearevant
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https://www.instagram.com/wearevant/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn8BpCQ0F7pHY1mZB_nk3PQ
Sunderland-born Mattie Vant has already had his fair share of highs and lows. After tentatively starting his solo career in Brighton, he moved to London and wrote his first record ‘DUMB BLOOD’ in response to contemporary British rock music’s lack of political engagement. As VANT began to take shape, Mattie worked at the notorious Dalston music venue, “Birthdays”, serving such clientele as Harry Styles, Frank Ocean, Neneh Cherry and Michael Stipe. It was in the basement of this nightclub that VANT’s foundations were built, rehearsing there with bandmates recruited from a mixture of staff and punters. The grassroots artist soon built momentum and after only a handful of gigs attracted the cheque books of every major label executive in the country. Parlophone, who started the frenzy, eventually landed Mattie’s signature and kick-started a whirlwind two year journey from five consecutive “BBC R1 Hottest Record(s) In The World” to main stage festival appearances at Fuji Rock, Governor’s Ball, Lollapalooza, Reading & Leeds, Best Kept Secret, Øya and Pukklepop.
After parting ways with the record label, sustaining VANT in its current incarnation became financially impossible and Mattie was forced to reconsider his options. The music industry along with the political landscape had drastically shifted in this short period, and Mattie became increasingly disenfranchised, his characteristic optimism tested by the double blow of Brexit and Trump. Mattie began exploring new ways of creating music, spending the following summer in LA gathering material for what would become his polarising, second record “Conceived In The Sky”. Like the climate, Mattie’s sound had been radicalised. Reinstating himself as the DIY solo artist he once was, the hip-hop inspired, sample infused sophomore effort confused and delighted his fanbase in equal amounts. 25 million streams and two sold-out tours later the world was put on hold as Covid 19 struck. With the resulting international restrictions and festival cancellations, the pandemic left Mattie like many other artists, in a precarious position.
Mattie took refuge in his studio, The Lightly Padded Cell, that he had built the year before in a run down local warehouse, finally realising an idea he had only flirted with in the past; writing, performing and producing an album entirely on his own. The result is “Extinction Ballads”, a lo-fi classic and his most personal record to date. Inspired by Renaissance news reporting, 16th Century Italian Theatre and the work of Mark Linkous, the album is a voyeuristic browse through a philosophy undergrad’s part-auto-biographical, existentially-dread tinged search history. But that's not to say it isn’t a fun record, Mattie’s witty lyrical form and tongue in cheek sensibilities permeate the doom scrolling. While stylistically the music continues to transform, the subject matter remains as a poignant commentary on world matters.
VANT, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock, singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, diy producer, self produced, 3rd album, "Extinction Ballads", "I Guess I'll End up Being One of Those People You Used as Well",
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
https://www.facebook.com/wearevant
https://twitter.com/wearevant
https://www.instagram.com/wearevant/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn8BpCQ0F7pHY1mZB_nk3PQ
Sunderland-born Mattie Vant has already had his fair share of highs and lows. After tentatively starting his solo career in Brighton, he moved to London and wrote his first record ‘DUMB BLOOD’ in response to contemporary British rock music’s lack of political engagement. As VANT began to take shape, Mattie worked at the notorious Dalston music venue, “Birthdays”, serving such clientele as Harry Styles, Frank Ocean, Neneh Cherry and Michael Stipe. It was in the basement of this nightclub that VANT’s foundations were built, rehearsing there with bandmates recruited from a mixture of staff and punters. The grassroots artist soon built momentum and after only a handful of gigs attracted the cheque books of every major label executive in the country. Parlophone, who started the frenzy, eventually landed Mattie’s signature and kick-started a whirlwind two year journey from five consecutive “BBC R1 Hottest Record(s) In The World” to main stage festival appearances at Fuji Rock, Governor’s Ball, Lollapalooza, Reading & Leeds, Best Kept Secret, Øya and Pukklepop.
After parting ways with the record label, sustaining VANT in its current incarnation became financially impossible and Mattie was forced to reconsider his options. The music industry along with the political landscape had drastically shifted in this short period, and Mattie became increasingly disenfranchised, his characteristic optimism tested by the double blow of Brexit and Trump. Mattie began exploring new ways of creating music, spending the following summer in LA gathering material for what would become his polarising, second record “Conceived In The Sky”. Like the climate, Mattie’s sound had been radicalised. Reinstating himself as the DIY solo artist he once was, the hip-hop inspired, sample infused sophomore effort confused and delighted his fanbase in equal amounts. 25 million streams and two sold-out tours later the world was put on hold as Covid 19 struck. With the resulting international restrictions and festival cancellations, the pandemic left Mattie like many other artists, in a precarious position.
Mattie took refuge in his studio, The Lightly Padded Cell, that he had built the year before in a run down local warehouse, finally realising an idea he had only flirted with in the past; writing, performing and producing an album entirely on his own. The result is “Extinction Ballads”, a lo-fi classic and his most personal record to date. Inspired by Renaissance news reporting, 16th Century Italian Theatre and the work of Mark Linkous, the album is a voyeuristic browse through a philosophy undergrad’s part-auto-biographical, existentially-dread tinged search history. But that's not to say it isn’t a fun record, Mattie’s witty lyrical form and tongue in cheek sensibilities permeate the doom scrolling. While stylistically the music continues to transform, the subject matter remains as a poignant commentary on world matters.
Ahead of the release of lead single “In The Dark Times”, Mattie has started a weekly radio show called “DUMB NARRATOR” which sees him play a selection of his favourite songs and interview guests such as Blood Red Shoes, EXUM, The Pale White, Devon & Nancy. He also interacts with fans through an Instagram live show called “Let The People Talk” which gives people a platform to discuss important issues and offers an informal support system for people struggling with the current state of affairs. A world tour is in the pipeline and with new found confidence, creative independence and a general “fuck it” mentality, VANT 3.0 looks set to finally take Mattie to the heights he’s been shooting for since his acclaimed debut.
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