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An Interview with Alex Matheu of Negative Format
Posted: Sunday, May 04, 2008
By: Dillon Carlyon

Negative Format has been a mainstay in the underground electronic music scene since the late 1990s. One could make a decent argument that project founder Alex Matheu has come to set trends in EBM from behind the scenes for a long time. Whereas many artists who would today be labeled gothic or industrial came out of the punk and metal scenes, gradually coming to incorporate more and more electronic elements into their sound, Negative Format has in many ways come from the opposite side of the spectrum, fusing techno, trance, IDM, and later trip hop and drum 'n bass, with brilliantly sci-fi-themed lyrics that have recently taken on a much more emotional and personal tone. Not content with the status quo, this project has been producing high quality material consistently since the 1997 release of Pathologic Syndrome, and Alex has only brought the project into bigger and better things over the years, pushing trance and EBM into the parallel realms of drum 'n bass and even world music on 2005's Moving Past the Boundaries as well as through such side projects as Distraub and The Parallel Project. The outlook has never been better for Negative Format as the band's newest album, Gradients, reveals the latest evolutions in Matheu's futuristic sound. In an interview with ReGen, Matheu offers a bit of his own perspective on Gradients and everything that has led Negative Format to its progressive position in the electronic music scene.

What would you say were the strongest early influences on your music, and what new or different influences kicked in as your albums came together over the years?

Matheu: From the beginning of Negative Format, Haujobb was a very strong musical influence, as were Front 242 and Front Line Assembly. Later, as I discovered other trance acts, I found they began to influence the sort of music I wanted to create, such as Astral Projection, Infected Mushroom, Son Kite, and X-Dream. Science fiction movies and media have always played a big role in influencing Negative Format's themes and sounds as well. I find that I can draw influence from stories and moods as well, just enough to spark an idea and run with it.

A lot seemed to come to fruition for Negative Format with Moving Past the Boundaries. In particular, the lyrical themes were more personal and emotional than in earlier material. Would you say this has been a natural progression, or has this been a shift in focus that you've been consciously directing?

Matheu: It has definitely been a natural progression. Moving Past the Boundaries was the first record in a while that didn't stick to an obvious theme. It was more an evolution in both sound and meaning. I have been enthralled with trance for quite a while and have been moving away from industrial and EBM in Negative Format's sound. Moving Past the Boundaries moves a bit further from these genres, also incorporating sounds from other genres, like downtempo, IDM, and glitch. I felt like this record was true to its name; Negative Format was moving past the boundaries of these genres, and also thematically it was a departure from typical subjects I had used.

Some of Rashree Matson's vocal work in Moving Past the Boundaries was influenced by traditional Asian styles, revealing a nod towards World Fusion. Is this a trend we can expect to see more of?

Matheu: Yes, that is Rashree's vocal style; she is, after all, Indian. I love the elements her vocal style adds to Negative Format, and she has become a key factor in the overall sound of the project. You can definitely expect to see more of this on Gradients and future releases.

The track 'Hues of Gray,' which appears on the new album, Gradients, has a spectacular break where the music almost stops, the mood completely changes, and then Rashree's lush vocals hit from out of nowhere. We almost get two songs in one, and it seemed to be a departure for Negative Format, with these two very different feelings converging in one track. In what other ways would you say Gradients builds on and diverges from the material that came before it?

Matheu: We have tried to explore and push the tracks on Gradients to the limits. Trying to make tracks as interesting as possible while retaining the sound of Negative Format has been a challenge. You will find moods change from track to track, incorporating elements and catching the listeners off guard. When we were writing 'Hues of Grey,' the track was just about completely finished when we decided that we needed to put some vocals in it. Rashree worked vocals into one of the breakdowns, and we fell in love with how it sounded. We went into the studio with the intention of placing more vocals throughout the track, but decided it was best to have the mood change and have the vocals drop in like they do, almost like a nice little surprise waiting for you toward the end of the track. We found that it makes people want to listen to the track over and over.

Rashree and Brian Matson have become much more involved in Negative Format's creative process, and have fleshed out the project's live presence. In what ways would you say their increased involvement has affected Negative Format's sound?

Matheu: Rashree and Brian have become a great asset for Negative Format. We all work extremely well together and are like family. Both their creative input and work in the studio have helped us put a new spin on Negative Format's sound, allowing us to expand it further than I could have as a solo project. As for how it has affected the sound, I believe it has all been for the better. They are the kind of people that do not force changes or detriments to the sound, but rather allow me to harness their creative input to add more life and uniqueness to each track.

What was the impetus behind the beginning of your side project, Distraub, and how has that project affected your involvement with Negative Format? Is Distraub just you and no one else, or are there any other heads or hands involved?

Matheu: I am the only one involved in the studio creation of Distraub, but both Brian and Rashree have played live with me; they enjoy the change and love the improvisational nature of a live show as Distraub. I originally created Distraub just a year or two after creating Negative Format, as a more experimental outlet. I tend to lean toward glitch and drum 'n bass with Distraub, creating tracks that would not really fit with Negative Format's sound. While on the subject of side projects, I would also like to introduce my newest pure trance project, LexSine. I am focusing on pure non-vocal trance, riding the borders of psy-trance and progressive trance. I will be releasing material from LexSine digitally on Sector 9 Studios.

The Parallel Project release, Fusion, was nothing less than phenomenal. Can we hope to see something like this magnificent collaboration again, or maybe more guest vocalists being featured with Negative Format?

Matheu: I have spoken with a few vocalists to collaborate for more tracks for The Parallel Project, but it was quite an undertaking to work with so many artists at once. I would like future releases to be digital singles or EPs so I can get the tracks out more quickly as we create them. So you can definitely look for more Parallel Project releases in the future. As of right now, I cannot disclose a list of confirmed artists.

It would be great for long-time fans to see Negative Format go on a large-scale tour. Is a tour to celebrate the release of Gradients anywhere on the drawing board at the moment?

Matheu: We have spoken about touring, but it is difficult with the commitments that we have in our other lives. We will definitely keep the option open if an opportunity to do so arises. We will definitely be playing one-off shows around the region and beyond to support the new album, though.

The final words of the blurb for Gradients on your Web site is 'We control your reaction.' What do you think is music's potential to affect or change the hearts and minds of most individuals?

Matheu: I have always held the belief that we are a product of our environment, that what we extract from different sources shapes who we are and who we become. I think the media we absorb and identify with can definitely be life-changing. If you look around, media is used to influence people to act a certain way, dress in certain styles. The reference is taken from one of the lyrics in the track 'Reaction' on Gradients.