Back To Business

Holy shit, I haven't wrote on of these since Summer 2013. Pardon the dust, it's only coke.

Kidding.

A lot's happened in my personal life since then, which I won't talk about at length here because I've spent the past year or so working on a new album!

Yeah, I'm a bit excited! I've been kicking it into high gear for an early May release date.

It's called 'Pink Skies' and is more or less a culmination of the past 5...no, 6 fucking years holy fuck I'm getting old now.

Sorry, I'm easily distractible by the fact that I'm turning 25 this August and as of yet haven't released a tangible project.

Anyways, 'Pink Skies' is a) a crude metaphor for women and/or b) the effects of narcotics; those nouns are also some of the more prevalent motifs of the album.

There's at least three ways this album breaks down in my head, so let's analyze:

1) 'Pink Skies' is a concept album describing the "grey area" (yes, I'm the asshole who uses an "e" in "grey", suck it, first-vowelers) between the end of a long-term relationshit and finding a true romance. The bumblings of an alcohol- and drug-fueled, socially awkward, introverted hopeless romantic. To be fair, there's not much creative license taken; its the boiled-down essence of my life from 2010 to now. A major theme of this album is finding the ability to move on and keep awkwardly stumbling through life with delusions of grandeur.

2) 'Pink Skies' is a concept album about a schizophrenic sociopath trapped in an acid-induced coma. Yeah...I abandoned that idea early on, but there's still remnants here and there.

3) 'Pink Skies' is a pile of fucking dogshit and why on earth are you actually releasing this?

To put it bluntly: because I can. I've wanted to release a proper album for a good long while now, and I feel like I have something...sorta unique here with 'Pink Skies'. Which is why I'm going through the effort and expense of pressing it up and making this release as official as I possibly can afford to.

New items in the Matt Dyer inventory:
- Instrumentals without DJ tags on them!
- Somewhat decent hooks!
- A (somewhat) hometown (home-state, more like) collaboration! (Illini Pride!)
- Professional mixing and mastering!
- Releasing a single or two!
- Promotion...possibly! Depending on my mood!
- Professional duplication!
- Distribution through various outlets!
- Label backing!

"Label backing," you ponder curiously if you've made it this far through my rambling, insipid monologue, "how do you mean? You're a no-name local rapper with no real history in the scene even though you've been here for 10+ years!"

Well...I'm starting my own label.

Welcome to Barrel Aged Records, where the albums only come out every 3 to 5 years!

Kidding.

I have plenty more going on aside from just this one album and random business venture that I'm excited to share with everyone:

Starting February (2/10/2016), I'll be releasing a monthly #WhiskeyWednesday project consisting of 2 or 3 songs to "feed the streets" as the cool kids call it. It ties in with a) Barrel Aged Records and b) my favorite weekly holiday. The only time I WON'T release a #WhiskeyWednesday is the month of a major project release.

Sidebar - I'm a white, corny muhfucker who enjoys being ironic and sarcastic. I also don't mind making fun of myself, because of my man-tits.

I'm also working on a mixtape called 'Backwoods' I'd like to release around the beginning of September.

For some of my longer-term fans, I'm pleased to announce that the once-shelved follow up to 'Empty', the 'Derelict EP', is being resuscitated sometime in the near future.

I've been reading a lot, learning a lot...About all sorts of shit. Politics, philosophy, fucking Star Wars novels that are no longer canon so why bother...Music, business, how to lockpick so I can break into everywhere and be a sneaky jewel thief some day if nothing else pans out in my life...Keeping my mind busy and my budget tight.

I have a habit of sitting and pondering, but mostly my mind wanders. On that note, I shall bid you adieu! Keep yourself occupied by going to www.barrelagedrecords.com or make portmanteus and acronyms out of every capitalized word in this post.

One Love, One Finger,
- Matt Dyer