“EPILL”
Matty Marz, an up-and-coming New York based singer-songwriter, released her newest track this weekend. Produced by Akira Akria, “EPILL” aims to mirror the ups and downs of an ecstasy trip. Following an ABCABC structure, the A & C sections are intense and the B section mellows out to take the listener along for the ride. Marz takes inspiration from a wide variety of artists, and it shows in “EPILL.” The track glides through R&B, pop, and funk, while a techno undercurrent sews it all together. It’s a dance track, but gritty and sultry, beckoning the listener to follow Marz on the trip. You’re instantly transported to a basement rave, filled with dancing strangers and flashing lights.
Marz and Akira Akira kick off the A section of “EPILL” with a soulful vocal sample and a deep, funk beat. It’s bass-y and syncopated, grooving underneath the surface as Marz starts to sing. Still supported by the vocal sample, she begins to deliberately layer synth lines to ramp intensity, lyrically matching the build by picking up speed in her flow. As the phrases reach their peak, the synths distort slightly, as if overloading and about to burst.
Swooping in to stem the explosion, the swirling B section of the track breaks through the all-consuming techno. Synth notes are held out, exponentially expanding the sonic landscape. Marz seems to fall backwards, but not down. Instead she floats through, and tones of R&B shine through in the vocals. Four loud drum beats crash in, and the energy is back.
Representing the peak of her trip, the C section takes no prisoners. It’s fast, distorted, passionate and unyielding. As Marz sings in an alluring whisper that she only likes music when it’s loud, the beat pushes forward, leaving you no choice but to dance with reckless abandon. After repeating the chorus line, Marz switches to falsetto vocals, floating above the beats and brightening the track. “EPILL” returns to the A section, and follows this pattern one more time. As the final leg of the trip comes to an end, the track stops abruptly, finally giving the listener time to come up for air.
On a personal note, I was lucky to see Matty Marz perform this fall at the Mondo.NYC festival. Classically trained at the Los Angeles Academy for Artists & Music Production, Marz is completely capable of commanding the stage. She has been working on her craft behind the scenes, and is planning to debut her album m.w.u later this year. She has been performing regularly, so if you have the chance, be sure to catch a show.
