Live Review: Sass and romance: Get to know Matka

If you've been lucky enough to attend one of the Honey parties in Sydney over the past year and a half, you have MATKA to thank for that. If you were treated to some aural goodness before ASAP Ferg a few months ago, or Santigold before that, you have Matka to thank for that too. Or, if you happened to see Honey DJs do their thing at LISTEN OUT recently, that was also Matka. In short, Matka is nothing less than killing it right now, and things are only looking bigger and brighter for the Sydney talent in the months (and years) to come.

Set to play at our SOUNDS LIKE A HEAPS GAY PURPLE SNEAKERS TIME party at Proud Mary's in Erina next weekend, Matka has been busy grinding on the Sydney dance circuit, carving out her own space in a saturated scene and absolutely thriving by doing so. She plays in her words "rap and club music (including but not limited to bass music, some footwork and any electronic music with tribal- or latin-inspired polyrhythms)," and because of this, her sets are unpredictable in song listings but always guaranteed good vibes.

To get to know her a little better, we asked Matka to put together a playlist which she described as "mostly sass with a little romance. My taste swings wildly between the lush/emotional and the heavy/rude, so here's a bit of both."

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ABRA – Fruit

All my friends are sick of hearing me talk about ABRA so I'm taking this opportunity to gush about her now. In a city dominated by rap and trap she produces 80s-inspired beats and records heartbreaking R&B vocals out of her bedroom. 'Fruit', like all of her tracks, is sparse with 808s and distorted bass and this perfectly soaring but never delicate falsetto. This is why she's Awful's (and Atlanta's) princess. Far and away my most listened-to song of 2015-16.

Danny Brown – Really Doe (feat. Ab-Soul, Kendrick Lamar and Earl Sweatshirt)

Listen to this in headphones to really take in its warm production and roomy drum sound. A departure for Danny (from blasting club cuts on earlier records, which are also great, don't get me wrong) towards something more subtle and timeless.

Cakes Da Killa – New Phone (Who Dis)

My new years resolution is to have this much fucken sass.

Drizzy – Serena (feat. Dej Loaf)

I think I love this track for the same reason I like Migos: this languid bravado like, "I'm blazed out of my mind and I still run circles around you".

Tinashe – Sacrifices

Tinashe's songs manage to be confessional, semi-club-appropriate (if you're trying to grind) and bedroom-ready (the aftermath of grinding) at once. This track from her new mixtape is about the painful and all-too-relatable feeling of realising it's not just a crush/lust.

Timbaland – Drama Queen feat. Tink (co-prod. Milli)

I heard Lotic play 'Drama Queen' at the Low Ton x EVE party a couple of weeks ago and thankfully my friend Shazammed it because this track is super hot.

V Kim feat. Divoli S'vere – Gold Chainz

I'm obsessed with this severe bass/vogue number produced by our own V Kim and New York ballroom mainstay Divoli S'vere.

Arma – Drum Circle

This is a true Soundcloud-to-club staple. Tribalesque polyrhythms and over-the-top sweeps feel like a friend dragging you from your chair to the dance floor. You can usually catch me slotting this into a DJ set among dancehall remixes, rap and bass.

LSDXOXO – Angel Dust

Ayyy, mamasita.

Birdman & Lil' Wayne - Stuntin' Like My Daddy from Ady Freza on Vimeo.

Lil Wayne & Birdman – Stuntin' Like My Daddy

I had to include a throwback. Sometimes you have to dip the tempo down to the rudest BPM (that's 80), drop your hips down low and swing your arms out real wide and channel Lil Wayne in his prime.

You can catch Matka perform at the SOUNDS LIKE A HEAPS GAY PURPLE SNEAKERS TIME party next weekend at Proud Mary's in Erina.

SOUNDS LIKE A HEAPS GAY PURPLE SNEAKERS TIME

November 25th

Proud Mary’s, Erina

TIX HERE

INDIAN SUMMER

MOONBASE COMMANDER

PURPLE SNEAKERS DJS

SHANTAN WANTAN ICHIBAN

ARIANE

MEZKO

MATKA

NIC KELLY