Theory Therapy 46: Third Space

Nov 23

Nov 23 Theory Therapy 46: Third Space

Spectral electronics for liminal spaces.

Theory Therapy 46 is by Naarm-based producer Third Space, who’s recently released a gem of an album on Other Joe's .jpeg artefacts.

Matt’s mixes are something special; like their albums, they’re always so thoughtfully pieced together and all-encompassing. This one reminds me a lot of Scissor Kick. It features a medley of found sounds, scattered percussion and spectral electronics. We hope you enjoy it, wherever you listen.

Hey Matt. How are you today?

Hiya – I’m well, thank you.

What was the last song you listened to?

Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires by Cocteau Twins. So much drama! So good

Where is your favourite place to listen to music?

Outdoors! Headphones on while walking through the trees. Clubs are a logical close contender too.

What’s the best music discovery you’ve made recently?

Relistening to the Whities / AD93 NTS shows. So many bangers... Otherwise, I have really been enjoying Drumming by Steve Reich. Some very very inspiring rhythm folding techniques in there.

Is there an artist or album you listen to a lot we might not expect based on your music and mixes?

I’m a big sucker for PJ Harvey… Always finding a way to sneak a track into a mix but keep getting stuck. Her early work is incredible and I really love the production and her dynamic compositional choices.

Your new album Scissor Kick came out on .jpeg artefacts recently (congrats by the way – such a big fan). How did the process of making it compare to say a more club-leaning album like Pattern of Spring? Do you always have an intended context or environment in mind or is it more about pursuing something you’re feeling at the time?

Great question… I think it’s a combination of both. The LP was sort of a function of flipping my relationship of rhythm and sound design. On Pattern of Spring the rhythm was the key component; which led to the whole ‘club-leaning’ result. For Scissor Kick I felt like reversing this approach, letting sound design and gentle shifts be the key component - and somewhat pushing rhythm back in the hierarchy. Rhythm is totally still present in the LP, but just not as deliberate as Pattern of Spring. Hopefully that makes sense…

Outside of music, what inspired the new album?

Erosion, rocks, sand, waves, wind, frozen landscapes; and the different time scales within each of those items. Things moving at a rapid pace, things moving at a glacial pace…

Tell us about the mix you've recorded. Where did you record it? Are there any tracks that are particularly important to you?

The mix is a hybrid actually – a combination of tracks spliced with live percussion from my Octatrack and some ableton FX. Was recorded at home! I really really adore the latest Sarah Davachi album so I suppose the first track (which is from Antiphonals, albeit cropped) is up there. Some of those Pan Sonic tracks (Aktiivi) are especially meaningful.

Where would you recommend listening to it?

Wherever. Late at night driving on the freeway?

Theory Therapy mixes are about sharing the music that you personally find therapeutic, cathartic or restorative. What does that mean for you?

I feel like music is as much a vessel for memories and feelings as it is an expression of sound. How on earth can I immediately recite the lyrics from a track that I haven’t listened to since high school? While also remembering the heat of the dry summers back then, and the sensation of being so tired at school…? It’s wild that music enables that ability to have an archive spliced into it. To that end… sharing music becomes incredibly personal and restorative - people sharing their memories and their experiences with songs and performances. I’m not sure of another phenomenon or entity that permits that level of intimacy. So, it means a lot!