Mattafix
“Signs of a Struggle”, Preetesh and I feel like it’s the perfect name for this album. Not only have we faced challenges creatively but we have written this album with a backdrop of international turmoil. Its difficult not to believe in fate when I look back at the creation of these songs. Many of the tracks deal with the individual struggles that both myself and Preetesh have experianced. In many respects they are the typical issues that two young men deal with in a 21st century environment; the turbulent relationships, the family feuds and trying to find a voice in situations where the opinions of young people are not always encouraged. And at the epicenter of our work is a belief that creativity can bring great change. Our story may not be unique, but we have tried to tell it as if it were.
Roots and a sense of belonging are themes that appear lyrically from time to time. Both of Pre’s parents were born in India and, after much travelling, they settled in London where Pre was born. This background has given him a broad appreciation for all types of music from traditional Ragas and old school Bollywood soundtracks to hip hop, rock, and dance.
I was born in the same part of London but moved to my mother’s homeland in the West Indies (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) with her as a young child. I moved back to London in my late teens with a heavy influence of reggae, dancehall, and hip hop. Since then we have immersed ourselves in all genres of music from blues to classical.
The past two years have been spent trying to merge all of these elements into our own style of music. The creative process is not always clear and many of our break throughs have come about through coincidences and mistakes. When I met Pre (on a visit back to London) he was working at a recording studio where, for the next four years, he learnt the art of sound. Around the same time I was playing tenor in a Steel Band in St. Vincent. In my spare time I was writing rap verses and poetry. By the time I left St. Vincent and reunited with Pre we both had visions of a fresh sound. We have both been extremely fortunate to have played a role in the creation of that sound.
Marlon Roudette
