Spawning from unassuming roots, the name Matt Herdman is one that has been popping up quite often on the radar of many electronic music enthusiasts, and artists alike, in the past year. The “small-town” Canadian knew at any early age that his passion for electronic music was more than a hobby, it was an obsession. This obsession grew into a desire for understanding as he became more and more immersed in what it meant to become a DJ, and ultimately a producer.

Growing up in a town outside of Windsor, Ontario with a miniscule population and an even smaller understanding of electronic music, Matt’s discovery of a sound that was “more appealing and expressive” began to take shape as he approached his late teens. By the time he reached 20, he sought out the tools and skills needed to become an electronic artist, instead of watching from the crowd. Consequently, purchasing turntables and learning to “DJ” didn’t quench his thirst for knowledge; he needed to know exactly how the music was made. Thus, Matt’s true development began as he discovered the technology behind EDM (electronic dance music) and started formulating his own collaborations with his music gear and his newfound love for production. While adding original elements that he had created himself to the music he was DJing, Matt found his calling and shortly thereafter began producing his own tracks. Ultimately, his focus on actually “creating” the music instead of simply “playing” it profoundly shaped the onset of the young artists’ career.

Inspired by artists such as Richie Hawtin, John Acquaviva, Dubfire and Oliver Huntemann, Matt began gaining confidence in his production as he incorporated it more often into his live sets. Interested to know how his work was measuring up to his influences, he sought one out at a local show. Living a short distance away in nearby London, Ontario, John Acquaviva had become a natural barometer for Matt’s progress as an electronic artist. Thus, when Matt slipped John a CD of some of his recent work, it undoubtedly became a pivotal turning point in his career. Impressed by what he heard, John soon asked Matt for additional tracks and signed his first work to one of the most credible electronic music labels in the industry, Definitive Records. With the initial release reaching the Top 100 Chart on the industry’s leading digital download website, Beatport.com, and being licensed to RockStar Games’ “Midnight Club Los Angeles” Matt knew this was no longer the “hobby” it started out to be.

Over the next year, Matt constantly kept up-to-date on the latest technology and various ways to differentiate himself and incorporate more of a “live” aspect into his sets. Using his laptop and controllers, Matt is one of the rare artists that is cognizant of the need to push his sound further. Recently he has performed with aforementioned artists John Acquavia and Oliver Huntemann, as well as acclaimed industry staples, Dubfire, Oliver Giacomotto, Paul Ritch, MSTRKRFT, Deadmau5, Delete (Sergio Munoz) and Anthony Attalla. In addition, he was recently chosen single-handedly by Dubfire to open for his SCI+TEC label party at WMC (Winter Music Conference) 2009. His production can be frequently found amidst the Top 100 Charts at Beatport.com and he is a resident performer at the Boom Boom Room (Windsor, Ontario). Clearly, Matt Herdman is one to watch in 2010 and beyond.

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