Recloose

Originally from Detroit, producer/DJ Recloose first received notice for his releases on Carl Craig’s Planet E label, which ranged from upbeat, sample-based trip-hop to organic, jazzy house. Since then, he’s recorded for several other labels (including Peacefrog, Rush Hour, and Aus Music), relocated to New Zealand and back to the United States, and worked with numerous jazz, soul, and dance artists. Unsure of his career direction after graduating with a degree in English from the University of Michigan in nearby Ann Arbor, Matthew Chicoine — previously a resident mixer known as DJ Bubblicious — began exploring electronic recording as well. According to Detroit legend, while working in a take-out joint, he slipped one of his tapes into an order from techno don Carl Craig, and Craig signed him to Planet E. His first EP, 1998′s So This Is the Dining Room, earned great reviews around Detroit. In 1999, just after recording the Spelunking EP, Chicoine helped fill out Craig’s Innerzone Orchestra for live performances around the globe. Though his releases had been primarily home-listening experiences, he also DJ’ed and performed at several far-flung spots. In anticipation of a Recloose full-length, he released the “Can’t Take It” single (featuring Dwele) in early 2000. The album was held up for almost two more years, with only the Jigsaw Music mix disc and a few random remixes to hold fans over. Finally, Cardiology came out on Planet E in 2002, with a European release by !K7. The album included guest appearances from Colin Stetson, John Arnold, Malik Alston, and others. By the time Cardiology appeared, Chicoine had relocated to New Zealand, where he worked with members of Fat Freddy's Drop and Trinity Roots, among others. He also formed the Recloose Live Band, who performed at jazz festivals as well as dance clubs. Hiatus on the Horizon, much more focused on live instrumentation than previous Recloose efforts, was released by Peacefrog in 2005. Backwards and Sideways, a concert recording by the Recloose Live Band, was released in 2007. Recloose returned to the studio for Perfect Timing, which was issued by Sonar Kollektiv in 2008. Soon after, Chicoine launched a popular radio show called Hit It & Quit It (with co-host Frank Booker), and he began a DJ and Electronic Music Production program at the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand. In 2010, Dutch label Rush Hour issued Early Works, a collection of tracks from early Recloose EPs as well as unreleased material from that era. This well-received release led to a revival of interest in his work, and several new EPs subsequently appeared on Rush Hour and Delusions of Grandeur. Chicoine moved to Brooklyn in 2014, where he began working for DJ technology company Serato. He signed to Aus Music in 2016, releasing the Honey Rocks EP, followed by Spirit Knows in 2017. ~ John Bush & Paul Simpson