There’s something about instrumental music that captures attention in a way that vocals don’t.
“Instrumental music can spread the international language,” Herb Albert once said. Albert rose to fame for his mastery of the trumpet, which took on a jazzy voice of its own.
Although they are generations apart, GrowthwithMatty, who’s traded his Florida roots for some more lucrative ones in Los Angeles, is a lot like Herb Alpert, who used his music to pivot in different directions, including co-founding A&M Records.
GrowthwithMatty began his music career as an Instagram producer, which only further fueled his love of music and helped him find his own personal creative spark. He recognizes that vocals aren’t necessary, as instruments are able to convey emotion as powerfully as any singer, and the language they use is universal.
Instruments tell a deeper story
Instrumental music allows people to interpret what they are hearing for themselves, a bit like looking at an abstract painting and seeing nothing, but knowing that it has touched you in a way that no other work of art has. There are no words to guide one’s thoughts; simply music to carry us along on GrowthwithMatty’s personal journey with the universal voice that is sound.
A smooth, clean rhythm highlights the title track of “Covid Dreams.” The collection of pensive beats coming together, merging in complete synergy, the mix of instruments, the volume levels that rise and fall as comfortably as breathing suggest that COVID-19 was a time of reflection for Matthew, the man behind the music.
There’s a mindfulness to the music GrowthwithMatty creates. It’s personal with complex layers that fully complement each other.
While the EP is classified as hip-hop because it’s so smooth and rhythmic – and because GrowthwithMatty finds his musical passion in creating fresh, new beats – it feels very much like it could fall comfortably into many other categories or serve as the soundtrack to myriad movies. Some songs have a rhythm that’s free-form and slightly off, like contemporary jazz, others have more precision and feel more polished, more perfect.
Whatever song you listen to, however, you’ll find elements of mystery behind the hypnotic work GrowthwithMatty tells stories that are open to interpretation, even as he captures a specific mood with each song.
It’s just emotion, taking me over
GrowthwithMatty’s work has a deep emotion that can only come from instrumental music. It achieves much more than vocal melodies and words by playing to your soul, and forcing you to engage more than you would with a traditional vocal song.
“Listening to instrumental music is a bit like feeling raw emotions without using words to describe it or telling stories why you feel that way,” says musician Ari Koinuma. “It’s just pure emotion. There are times when we need that. Words are left-brain creation and they can get in the way of reaching straight to your heart.” 1
GrowthwithMatty understands this, and he exposes himself in a more personal way with his layered, complex beats.
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