THE SHORT VERSION
From small local venues to worldwide touring and press coverage, I developed a career as an international DJ and electronic music producer. In addition to providing the opportunity to travel and experience different cultures, this has enabled me to make a major contribution to the Montréal cultural scene, with clients such as Frank&Oak, Sid Lee, Smirnoff, Red Bull and more.
THE LONG VERSION
The summer of 2005 marked a huge shift in the nightlife scene in Montréal. Without knowing what they were starting – DL Jones and Liam Thurston threw a loft party in a friend’s silkscreen studio on Saint-Laurent – the main boulevard of the vibrant Plateau neighborhood – uniting two DJs that had never formally met: A-Rock and Hatchmatik. And although ‘Peer Pressure Lands You In Detention’ was shut-down prematurely by the police, what happened that night became the groundwork for a new era in Montréal nightlife.
Peer Pressure grew something special on the dancefloor, something rooted in the creative connectivity between its feverish fans and its widely styled DJs. Peer Pressure, true to its namesake, arm-twisted a generation of bright minds looking for something new into a frenzy of indulgence and an appreciation for the craft of DJing and for a party that was put on for friends by friends. The early days of Peer Pressure were marked by hand-made flyers and posters, art-installations, theme parties, and a feeling that everyone there was there together – dissolving the barrier between audience and performer, creating an immersive and participative experience where everybody is part of the spectacle.
Less than one year after the first Peer Pressure party, The Saturday Scandal at Vinyl (Peer Pressure’s weekly party w/ resident DJs A-Rock and Hatchmatik) was voted the #1 best club night by the readers of local weekly rag The Mirror, beating out nights at clubs that held four or even five times as many people.
As Peer Pressure parties gained word of mouth notoriety for having the best DJs and the craziest crowds across the city, soon came bigger venues, cover stories, celebrity guests and touring: Peer Pressure was spreading like wildfire.
Although he was a bedroom DJ for many years prior, Hatchmatik emerged simultaneously with Peer Pressure – as is the case for many DJs, the next logical for step for Hatch was production.
Blogs posted and praised Hatch’s work on remixes of Thunderheist, MIA, Adam Kesher, and Chromeo (featuring none other than Parisian rapper and Sound Pellegrino label boss Teki Latex), and In-Deed on XMU radio and Discobelle.net snatched him up for their mix series.
Hatch’s first official remix – of MTO’s ‘Bring It On Now’ was released on NYC label Coco Machete Records, in 2008, and in 2009 Hatch toured Europe and Asia, and was selected for for URB magazine’s lauded next 100 list.
“You’re in the middle of a shitty loft in Montréal at a drugged up afterparty with wacky drunk francos trying to hit on trashy anglos with way too much attitude and there’s this redhead kid making miracles behind the turntables. He’s surrounded by hot half goth half 2Live Crew bitches and he just shines. That’s Hatchmatik”
-Teki Latex
HATCHMATIK SOUNDCLOUD
