Learning to Fly

There are few artists at work in electronic music today with a sound as unmistakable as Mathew Jonson. The Vancouver producer has been steadily turning out some of the most inspiring electronic compositions of the past decade, beginning with his debut 12? for Canadian imprint Itiswhatitis Recordings in 2001, with a career taking in releases on Minus, Perlon and Kompakt - along with a steady output on the Wagon Repair label he co-founded in 2005, and numerous related side projects including Cobblestone Jazz, The Modern Deep Left Quartet and Midnight Operator (alongside his brother Nathan aka Hrdvision). Learning To Fly will be Jonson’s second release on Minus, following 2004’s Decompression EP - the release that truly launched him on the international stage and laid out a blueprint for his ever-evolving style, one that manages to consistently explore new territory whilst maintaining the aesthetic that makes his productions distinct from every other artist working today. Learning To Fly is arguably one of the most exciting singular works of Jonson’s career, recalling his first Wagon Repair release: 2005’s Marionette, a record that continues to inspire cultish devotion six years after its release and thoroughly deserves every adjective for ‘hypnotic’ and ‘anthemic’ that’s ever been thrown at it. Learning To Fly retains those qualities whilst taking them yet further - a 12 minute sci-fi exploration that achieves that mark of classic electronic music production, working just as thrillingly for personal listening as it does when experienced as part of Jonson’s transcendent live performances. Jonson himself considers Learning To Fly to be among the best compositions of his career, and brings it to Minus after years of waiting for the right track to follow the mighty Decompression. “For me this piece reflects clarity and harmony,” explains Jonson. “Richie Hawtin is someone who has always inspired me to take my work to new levels, so it’s fitting that Learning To Fly will be