Available on Beatport: pro.beatport.com/release/chrysalism/1581728

Debuted during Mobilee’s famed off-Sonar week to a frenzied response, French producer/live act Rodriguez Jr. delivers his first highly anticipated EP of 2015.

A renowned perfectionist, Rodriguez Jr. (AKA Olivier Mateu) has been honing his craft for 20 years. It stretches back to the Atari computer and keyboards that dominated his early production experiences, to the years spent disseminating superb on-point electronica as one half of The Youngsters on Laurent Garnier’s seminal F Communications imprint, right up until today when the artists works tirelessly to experiment with his machines in his impressive Brussels-based studio and push his sound forward. 
A mainstay of Anja Schneider’s mobilee collective since 2010, Rodriguez Jr. has been one of the jewels in the label’s crown; his effervescent live sets have made him one of the most exciting artists in his field, while his productions remain classy, catchy and always forward-thinking. 

The ‘Chrysalism’ EP sees Rodriguez Jr. tireless drive to develop his sound signature in full flight, all the while staying true to his core production principles of creating captivating, memorable electronic music.

Utilised to great effect in early stages of his recent live sets, the title track is a master class in dramatic juxtapositions and is an exquisite seven-minute composition of warm uplifting synth layers that build over a rough-edged clatter of drums delicately balancing the elements of tension and beauty on a knife’s edge.

‘Etoile Du Nord’ (literally meaning ‘Star of the North’) is a dreamy, propulsive slice of Motor City-inspired techno and the kind you could imagine soundtracking a warehouse party at 6am as the sun begins to seep through the cracks in the corrugated iron roof. 

The EP is rounded out by ‘Kenopsia’ that evokes a kind of beautiful, eerie sense of somber as delicate layers of twinkling melody bubble over the contemplative patter of drums and the light drone of bass. 

“Going back in the studio after months of intense touring, almost one year after my 'Persistence Of Vision' EP, has resulted in strong moments of self awareness and experimentation with my machines. This is why I chose titles such as 'Chrysalism' and 'Kenopsia', describing obscure sorrows you could sometimes feel, without being able to name them,” Rodriguez Jr. explains. 
“Technically, this EP is a crucial step as it's a first attempt to define what my forthcoming album will be. I had collected lots of material while travelling, and my aim was to keep on developing my sound signature in order to emphasize the core emotions - it's been all about stripping things down, focusing on melodies and textures and, once again, finding inspiration in my deepest influences such as the early techno from Detroit.”

Chrysalism

Kenopsia

Buy on Beatport

Kenopsia (Snippet)

Booking contact North-/South America: jon@liaisonartists.com
Booking contact Europe & ROW: daniel@jackmode.com
Management: ralf@i-am-mgmt.com

Some follow trends, others set them. Award-winning music producer & live performer Rodriguez Jr. also known as Olivier Mateu has spent 25 years in the industry. His vast experience in all genres of electronic music makes him the visionary of melodic house and techno that he is today.
Over the years he has gradually honed his style into the dynamic, colorful sound of beauty that can now be regularly found on Mobilee, Anjunadeep, Systematic, Armada and demanded for on remixes of Stephan Bodzin, Booka Shade, Eli & Fur, Röyksopp, NTO, Timo Maas and more.

Drawing inspiration for his live performances from the vintage synthesizers, keyboards and dusty analog gear of his studio in Paris, Rodriguez Jr. relishes the opportunity to travel the globe and realise his project on stage. In doing so he has amassed a devoted and loyal fan base through the creation of his unique movement. Some of the most recent acclaimed shows featured huge festival performances at Sziget (Hungary), Lightning in A Bottle and CRSSD (both California), Paraiso and Sonar Festival (both Spain). Continuing to blur the boundaries between electronic and organic like few others can, his extensive touring schedule sees Mateu at world-renowned clubs every week, taking him to the likes of Solumun’s party at Destino Ibiza, Fabric London and Space Miami.

Not stopping there, Rodriguez Jr. has formed a special musical partnership with former Nouvelle Vague vocalist Liset Alea. The pair met 15 years ago creating music for Laurent Garnier´s label, and through their ongoing live RJLA project, they tell sonic stories, fusing organic charms of live instrumentation with cutting-edge music for the dancefloor and presenting this at selected events. This culminated in an extraordinary audio/visual display for broadcast pioneers Cercle, with a unique performance at the carefully selected idyllic location of Falaises d’Etretat, showcasing their captivating live electronics.

On the production front, Mateu has continued to have an exceptional output, with his last release on Mobilee Radian entering the Beatport top ten within three days following release. Another highlight was his full Anjunadeep debut on the eclectic double-cut entitled Phoenix/Amargosa. Alongside this his remixes have also been received with equal merit on labels such as Crosstown Rebels, Systematic or Poker Flat. His latest reworking of Eli & Fur on Anjunadeep made it to number three of the Beatport melodic house & techno chart. On Spotify, his music reaches an audience of 625,000 listeners each month and continues to grow every week.