Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
It's rare you'll find me listening to/posting about electronic music. Typically, it just ain't my thing. That is, unless a Nintendo GameBoy is being used to create the sounds. Which brings me to Seattle's capitalSTEPS (born Matthew Kenall).
In a stroke of MacGyver-like wit, Kenall composes, manipulates and squeezes sounds out of a GameBoy and Nanoloop, a sound editor for GameBoy. Kenall calls it "gritty, 8-bit techno." I love it because it appeals immediately to my jones for video games and rhythmic drum beats. And it's just unique, a totally refreshing change of pace.
-Kevin Murphy - So Much Silence
Discography
"Us and Them" Self-released demo CDr, 4 tracks.
"Stacy" Self-released demo CDr, 10 tracks.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Matthew energetically dances as he manipulates and mixes precomposed loops on his Gameboys. All of the capitalSTEPS sets are unique as Matthew uses his Gameboys to respond to the mood of the audience. In order to preserve the retro-tech asthetic of his sets Matthew communicates with the audience using an old voice synthesis keyboard called a Type and Speak.
A few of capitalSTEPS' influences are Looper, Kraftwerk, MIA, and a long list of 8-bit video game soundtracks.
Matthew has been creating and performing music for 11 years. In 2001 he began using Gameboys to create music and permanently changed his musical course. In 2005 he composed a set and began performing live as capitalSTEPS a few months later.
Matthew is also the head of the Seattle_HQ of Micromusic.net. Through this position he helps book and promote other 8-bit artists in the Seattle area.
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