Matt and Kim
Matt and Kim (sometimes stylized MATT and KIM) are an American indie electronic duo from Brooklyn, New York City.[1] The group formed in 2004[2] and consist of Matt Johnson (vocals/keyboards) and Kim Schifino (drums).[3] The duo is known for its upbeat dance music[1] and energetic live shows[4] which often incorporate samples from other artists.[5] Although they started their career playing shows in lofts and other close-quarters venues,[2] they have since performed at numerous festivals, including Bonnaroo, Coachella, and Firefly Music Festival.
Matt and Kim
The duo started performing together in 2004, and have released 6 studio albums.[4] Their 2009 album Grand featured the lead single "Daylight", which was certified gold by the RIAA.[6][7] The music video for "Lessons Learned", another song on Grand, featured the duo stripping naked in New York's Times Square and won the Breakthrough Video Award at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.[3] Their fifth studio album, New Glow, was released in April 2015 by Harvest Records in the United States and Virgin EMI Records internationally.[8] In December 2017, the duo announced a sixth studio album due to be released in spring 2018.[9] The album was later revealed to be titled Almost Everyday and was released on May 4, 2018. On October 10, 2014 the pair put on a sell-out show of over 60,000 attendants at the annual Fallapalooza at Creighton University.
Career[edit]
2004–2008: Early career and initial success[edit]
Matt Johnson is originally from Whitingham, Vermont, while Kim Schifino is originally from Providence, Rhode Island.[1] They met while studying at Brooklyn's Pratt Institute. Schifino studied illustration and graduated in 2002, while Johnson studied film and graduated in 2004.[10] The two began dating and moved in together after three months.[11] After graduation, Johnson began learning to play keyboards and Schifino learned drums. Neither had extensive experience with their instruments prior to this. Despite their inexperience, they were urged to play live shows by fellow Pratt alumni from the band Japanther.[10] Their early shows were primarily played at houses and lofts in the Brooklyn area,[1] but they soon branched out and began touring across the nation.[2] In 2005, they released an EP, To and From, which was their first collection of music committed to an album of any kind.[12]
The duo's first full-length studio album, Matt & Kim, was released in October 2006 on the IHEARTCOMIX record label.[2] The album received generally mixed to positive reviews. Adam Moerder of Pitchfork referred to the duo as the "quintessential 'party' band" in a review of their self-titled debut album.[13] Matt and Kim also gained significant publicity for their music videos. The video for "Yea Yeah", which depicts the pair being hit with food from their refrigerator, has been considered one of the initial catalysts for their rise in popularity.[1] They played the Lollapalooza festival in August 2007[14] and also played the Siren Music Festival earlier that year.[12]
By 2008, the band had completed their second full-length album (Grand) and was looking for a record label to sign them.[15]
Musical style[edit]
Matt and Kim's music has often been described as dance-pop with pop-punk and hip-hop influences.[3] In an interview with The A.V. Club, Johnson even noted, "We considered what made the Matt and Kim sound to be our mutual love for pop-punk and hip-hop, breaking down the beat and melodies the way hip-hop does, and adding in the energy and poppiness of pop-punk." Johnson and Schifino also share a mutual love for the music of Beyoncé and Jay Z.[52] The music has also frequently been described as upbeat, enthusiastic, and energetic.[1][3][53] Others have noted that Matt and Kim songs follow a basic pattern[13] and that the music is simultaneously "elementary" and "ultra-entertaining".[31]
Their live shows have achieved a great deal of recognition for their high-energy, "riotous", and party-like atmosphere.[1][4][53] They have been known to infuse their live sets with samples or covers of songs including Ludacris' "Move Bitch"[5] and Europe's "The Final Countdown".[1] Their performance style generally stays the same, regardless of the size of the venue or the crowd.[31] During shows, the band has also encouraged crowd surfing.[54]
Critical reception[edit]
In a review for Paste, Jeremy Medina called the duo's music "impeccably crafted indie dance tunes buoyed by disarmingly catchy, bustling beats."[55] Reviewing Lightning for Consequence of Sound, Chris Coplan noted, "it's no small feat that the duo continues to keep things intriguing, perpetually culling newer, fresher influences."[56] Their live shows have also been praised for having a "good-time loft party vibe" that is "less conventional concert and more intimate."[3]
