Detroit, US
Agent: David Oyston
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Biography
Twenty-plus years into his career, producer/vocalist/songwriter/DJ Matthew Dear remains artistically unpredictable in pursuit of his prescient strain of electronically-formed, organically-delivered indie pop. His work traverses myriad musical worlds, belonging to none. He releases club driven tracks as Audion, False, and Jabberjaw.
In 2003, he debuted with ‘Leave Luck to Heaven’ on Ghostly, a suite of sparse house tracks with deep, distinctive vocals. It includes “Dog Days,” named one of Pitchfork’s Top 100 Songs of the Decade. The album received rapturous acclaim from both the dance-music establishment and the critical press, including a four-star review in Rolling Stone.
His 2007 follow-up, ‘Asa Breed’, marked a departure from Heaven’s dance-floor focus, incorporating Brian Eno’s pop sensibilities, and Krautrock’s austere beauty. The album earned rave reviews from Q and Mojo magazines.
Dear then toured with a live band, commanding the stage with Bryan Ferry-like swagger and gentleman’s grace.
In 2010, ‘Black City’ emerged as the culmination of years of experimentation, a darkly playful sound-world that envelops the listener like a malevolent lover.
‘Beams’ (2012) continued his evolution, both a departure from and a worthy successor to ‘Black City’. It featured weird, wild, and queasily optimistic rhythm-driven pop songs. Dear supported Depeche Mode on their European stadium tour.
He contributed a ‘DJ Kicks’ on !K7 and released ‘Alpha’ as Audion in 2016.
In 2018, he released ‘Bunny’ showcasing his evolving production, songwriting and featuring the acclaimed collaboration “Bad Ones” with Tegan & Sara.
In 2021 he released a ‘lost album’ of earlier works on Ghostly.
As Audion, he explores the darker, more experimental side of dance music, pushing boundaries and exploring new sonic territories.
Dear is the founding artist of Ghostly International and its dancefloor offshoot, Spectral Sound.
He has produced and remixed tracks for The xx, Charlotte Gainsbourg, DJ Koze, Spoon, Hot Chip, Dubfire, Joris Voorn, Tegan & Sara, Daniel Avery, The Postal Service, Depeche Mode and Chemical Brothers. He has created mixes for the Fabric mix series, DJ Kicks, and Get Physical’s Body Language.
Matthew’s music has been featured in television series and films. He has been commissioned by Microsoft, GE, and Ford to develop unique experiences for the public.
In addition to his music career, Matthew Dear is a lecturer at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance, sharing his expertise with the next generation of musicians and producers.