Erdi Irmak is simply one of the most eclectic producers in the modern deep & melodic scene. The XYZ faithful will have grown fond of Erdi’s work on the imprint thus far, appearing on each of our Oppo projects and presenting a delightful EP earlier this year called Driftwood. As another soaring summer comes to a close, we breathe new life into the Driftwood project with a set of riveting remixes.
Leading the line is Brazilian multi-instrumentalist & producer Maty Owl, who has caught the attention of global dancers through sensational projects with Saisons & Timeless Moments. He takes the reins on I Can Find, crafting a deep groove through swirling synthetics and a revolving bassline. He twists Amega’s vocal chops seamlessly, utilizing them as harmonious elements while the instrumental arrangement takes aim straight at the dancefloor.
Niki Sadeki makes her long-awaited debut on XYZ with her rendition of Rainflow. The Canadian producer & DJ has built deep roots in the scene as a radio host and event organizer, and it’s a pleasure to have our compatriot on the imprint for the first time. She brings an afterhours flavor to her remix, as a signature hook ebbs too & fro while crisp drums blissfully balance the space.
Closing the project is Montreal’s Laure, who remixes I Can Find. She allows Amega’s vocal performance to shine over an easy-flowing groove. They bring incredible instrumentalism and a chilled-out ambiance that feels perfectly at home with Erdi’s original work.
To celebrate the release of ‘Driftwood (The Remixes)’ we sat down with the Brazilian musician to find out how this remix came to fruition and what is next for him.
WWD: Maty, many congrats on the release. Thanks for chatting with us, where are you joining us from today?
Hi! Thank you so much! It was a pleasure remixing this beautiful track from Erdi and Amega. I’m right now in the south of Brazil in my hometown city.
WWD: Tell us about the videos you create for your music. Where do the ideas for these videos come from?
Normally the concept of my stories comes when I’m doing random routine stuff, like working out, riding my bike. It also comes when I’m sleeping, like ‘Along The Maze’, which was inspired by a dream I had. Generally the ideas come in an unexpected way, I just need to catch them and work on them.
WWD: What has been the proudest release of your career thus far?
Every release has a special meaning to me. But we always have a favorite at the moment haha. My favorite, right now, is my latest EP on Saisons Musique.
I received support from many DJs and the track ‘What If’ reached the top 5 Organic House chart on Beatport.It may sound like a number, but to me is the representation of my music traveling and connecting with people.
WWD: You recently released a project with our amazing friends in Montreal – Kora & his label Saisons! How did you connect with this lovely crew?
I’ve been a big fan of Kora’s work since 2017, when I first listened to his collaboration with Adrien ‘Nuit d’Afrique’. It was the very beginning of my project ‘Maty Owl’ and this song was so different from what I used to listen to at that moment. Low BPM, organic, 11 minutes track length. It was inspiring to me.
I kept following kora’s releases and in 2020, if I’m not wrong, I sent him a release of my track ‘Along The Maze’, we started chatting right after. Then, I sent him the first demo for Saisons, a track titled ‘Fireflies’ (btw, it will be out soon. Stay tuned haha) Naturally, after that I met Benjamin and Vince.
These guys are amazing. They trusted my music and I’m so grateful for that.
WWD: We have been groovin’ to your remix ever since it hit our inbox. What was your inspiration for this project?
That’s so cool. I’m glad you liked it 🙂 Less is more and that’s what I tried to keep in mind during the creative process for this remix. My remix starts minimalistic, less melodies at the beginning and it gets progressive as soon as it gets at the breakdown. I have no idea from where the piano progression came to me. I just was playing two notes, then I started jamming on the bass notes and I felt connected with the direction the track was going and I just went with the flow.
WWD: If you could open for any artist who would it be?
That’s a difficult question haha. I like many artists, but it would be Patrice Baümel.
WWD: Tell us about your hometown and the role it has played in your journey thus far? The Brazilian scene is incredibly strong at the moment!
I’m living in a city in the south of Brazil called Jaraguá do Sul. At the beginning, back in 2011/2012, we had many small parties happening here. It was so cool for practicing and testing my very first tracks (most of them never sounded good in the sound system haha). We also have big clubs and parties happening every time close to my city, that definitely was a game changer in my way to see the dancefloors and also to produce my tracks. It was super important to personal evolution as a DJ and producer.
WWD: What’s next for Maty? Any upcoming projects or shows you can tell us about?
I have a couple releases coming up, including my EP ‘Fireflies’ on Saisons Musique, which brings a video produced in collaboration with Eduardo Borges.
I’m super excited about this release. We put so much energy and love on it and I can’t wait to have this out.
WWD: Maty, thanks so much for joining us and congrats again on the release. We hope to see you soon!
Thank you very much 🙂
I’m so proud of the result achieved on this remix and for being part of this amazing release with Erdi, Amega, Laure and Niki.
Connect with Maty Owl
Soundcloud- https://soundcloud.com/matyowl
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/MatyOwl
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/matyowl/
Connect with XYZ- https://linktr.ee/wwd.xyz
Stream releases in full via Spotify- https://spoti.fi/2uDd07z
Erdi Irmak – Driftwood (The Remixes) [XYZ057]
Release Date – 10.14.22
Stream – https://xyzlabel.lnk.to/DriftwoodRemixes