Matalik: The ‘Wednesday Alternative’ Mix

This is what links him to Talik, a producer and dj who has found a home for her music on the likes of Martyn’s 3024 and Pressure Dome amongst others.

This mix demonstrates a deep rooted understanding of how to evolve and move between sound be it time signatures and style. It’s a dynamic mix, which starts slow and ends fast dabbling in a number of areas in between.

Listen below:

Please introduce yourself?

Char: Hello! I’m Char – producer & DJ under the name Talik & more recently one half of Matalik. I’m from near Brighton but currently living in sunny Lisboa. I’m a yoga teacher, swimmer, runner, and big lover of nature. Music (piano in earlier years) has been my release since super young – but I found production as an outlet since 2020. You’ll find my releases on 3024, Pressure Dome, Intercept, Control Freak Recordings, Paryía Records & Pseudonym Records.

Matt: Hey, I’m Matt, one half of Matalik and I’m based in Brighton, UK. Before forming Matalik with Char (Talik) I ran the YouTube channel and online magazine Watch The Hype. The core Watch The Hype website is lost to the archives of the internet now, but in its prime hosted track selections from Hessle Audio, TSVI and Midland.These days I run a night at The Waiting Room in Stoke Newington with Puddy, where Char and I are playing a 3-hour set on Saturday 26th October.

Where was the mix recorded?

Pirate Studios – Croydon

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

Given shelling it out on one of fabric’s sound systems isn’t realistic, we’d advise somewhere you can really go for it. For Matt, it’s ragging a bike down the south coast.

What should we be wearing?

Saucy… We’ll leave that up to you.

What would be your dream setting to record a mix?

3-4 hour recording playing a 3am set in a remote forest festival. Time to take people on a nice dark, rolling, wonky journey.

What is your favourite track in the mix?

Ronan – Life Web. Played this countless times now but it still hits different. Tracks like this that are simultaneously hard and beautiful are our absolute favourite.

What is your favourite mix of all time?

Matt: The mix that got me obsessed with DJing is Ben UFO’s London Boiler Room from 2012. This fuelled my Hessle obsession and a long run of trips to fabric to their FABRICLIVE night on Fridays. It covers so much ground, but in such a coherent way. There are probably mixes that I’ve listened to far more now, but this will always be the OG.

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

Char:

2x CDJ 3000s
Xone:PX5

I only started DJing as a subset of producing.. My production set up is Audeze LCD2 open-back headphones (the sound and space they provide is unbeatable – one for hearing every small element for intricate sound design, whilst feeling like you’re in a big club setting) + Focusrite & Adam Audio speakers.

Matt:

Then
2x Technics 1210s
Pioneer DJM 250 mk1 mixers

Now

The same Technics 1210s
Xone 92 mixer
2x Pioneer XDJ 1000 mk2

What is more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

Char: first one sets the tone, giving you space to prepare & set an expectation for what’s to come – however the last one is what leaves people with the taste in their mouths. I ended my fabric set with one of my all-time favourites: Plastician – Dreading. One to bring the dance floor together & go out with a bang. My goal is to leave everyone swaying with their eyes closed, a warm feeling in their stomach & off on their own little journey.

What was the first and last records you bought?

Matt: The first CD I ever bought was in 1999 when I was 7. “Mr Ozio – Flat Beat”. It still bangs.
The latest record I bought is an old 12” from Discogs: “Blowfelt – Shake To This” which was released back in 2001. Craig Richards closed his Glasto set with it this year and it blew the roof of the tent (not literally I might add).

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

Probably a Jalfrezi. It’s spicy, but there’s relief in there… wouldn’t qualify for a Vindaloo as it’s not a straight-up assault on the senses.

If it was an animal what would it be?

Char: a cheetah: able to run and move faster than any land animal, surrounded by open space, and they’re just so god damn sleeeeek.

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

Matt: I have a record that plays in reverse… you place the needle in the centre of the platter and it works its way to the outer edge… not sure if this is more common than I think, but I’ve only come across it once! It’s fine to mix in once you know, but when you keep placing it at the edge and it slides off, it’s panic stations.

The vinyl is Duplex – Dark Synthesis for anyone interested.

Upcoming in the world of Matalik

A 3 hour b2b at The Waiting Room on Saturday October 26th tickets here.

Talik also has a few releases in the pipeline – more on that soon!