Three decades into Freerange’s quietly influential run, Matt Masters stands as one of its most enduring and instinctive voices. A DJ shaped by London’s formative club culture and a producer honed inside the label’s inner workings, he has spent twenty years absorbing its ethos from the inside out. His new track ‘Everywhere At Once’ captures that lineage with a blend of introspection, warmth and dancefloor purpose, arriving as both a personal snapshot and a natural extension of the Freerange identity.
We caught up with Matt to discuss the emotional architecture behind the record, the lessons learned across global dancefloors, and the evolving spirit of a label entering its fourth decade without ever losing its compass.
WWD: You found house music young and joined Freerange in 2004. Looking back, what were the defining moments that shaped your musical identity before you ever stepped into the label office?
Before joining Freerange in 2004, my university years really shaped who I became as a DJ. I was playing regularly, promoting my own club nights, and spending every spare penny on records and going out.
Living in London meant I had some of the best clubs on my doorstep. I spent countless nights at The End, Turnmills, The Cross, Heaven, Velvet Underground etc., watching incredible DJs. Those nights had a huge influence on my taste and introduced me to the deeper, more soulful side of house music.
I was also discovering labels like Freerange, whose sound really resonated with me. Looking back, those experiences gave me the foundations for everything that has followed, so joining the label felt like a natural progression.
WWD: Your first season in Ibiza clearly left a mark. What did that time teach you about DJing, community, and the emotional architecture of a dancefloor?
My first season in Ibiza was a real eye opener. Coming from the London underground scene, I was suddenly playing to people from all over the world, which taught me the importance of reading a crowd and adapting to the moment while staying true to my sound.
Some of my favourite sets were the sunset sessions, where you could build the energy naturally and really take people on a journey. More than anything, Ibiza showed me how house music brings people together, regardless of where they are from, and that is something that has stayed with me throughout my career.
WWD: Working inside the label for two decades, how has that proximity to Jimpster, Tom, and the catalogue influenced your instincts as a producer?
Working inside Freerange for so long meant I was constantly surrounded by music being made, but one of the biggest influences was when Jimpster’s studio was actually in the office. I would often end up watching over his shoulder while he was producing, just seeing how tracks came together in real time.
That was incredibly educational. Seeing how he built grooves, layered sounds, and made decisions in the moment taught me more than any tutorial ever could. It was not just the technical side either; it was the instinct, knowing when something feels right, when to strip things back, and how to keep a track moving with subtle changes.
Being that close to the process really shaped my own approach in the studio. It made production feel very natural and unforced, and reinforced the idea that it is often the small details and feel of a record that give it its identity, rather than overcomplicating things.
WWD: ‘Everywhere At Once’ feels introspective and melancholic, yet deeply functional. What emotional space were you in when you began writing it?
‘Everywhere At Once’ came from a pretty reflective headspace. I did not set out with a strict concept, but I was naturally drawn to more melancholic chords and a drifting, introspective mood from the start.
At the same time, I always want there to be a balance with functionality, so it still had to work on the dancefloor. For me, that contrast between emotion and groove is where the most interesting records sit.
It was not tied to a specific event, more just a snapshot of where I was creatively at the time, following a feeling rather than overthinking it.
WWD: The chopped piano and drifting pads are signature Matt Masters textures. How did you approach sound design and arrangement to create that suspended, reflective mood?
I tend to work quite intuitively with sound design rather than overthinking the technical side. With the piano and pads, it was about finding emotive textures first, then shaping them into something that works within a groove.
The chopped piano became almost rhythmic, using short phrases rather than full chords, while the pads were more about space, movement, and atmosphere.
In the arrangement, I try to keep things evolving subtly rather than making big shifts, which helps maintain that suspended, reflective mood throughout.
WWD: You have called it a “special moment” track. What does that moment look like to you and how do you engineer music for it?
For me, a “special moment” is when everything aligns on the dancefloor, emotion, energy, and focus. It is not necessarily peak time, but when people are fully locked in.
In this track, the main piano riff carries the emotion and identity throughout, keeping things moving without overcomplicating it. After the last break, the big low piano notes come in and shift the energy, adding weight and impact that really grounds the record.
It is about contrast and timing, holding back enough so that when that moment lands, it has real impact while still keeping the groove flowing.
WWD: Freerange is celebrating 30 years without nostalgia, more like expansion. What does being part of this milestone mean to you personally?
Being part of Freerange at this point in its journey means a lot. It is rare for a label to reach 30 years and still feel so relevant, not by looking back, but by continuing to evolve and push forward.
For me personally, it feels very natural, having been connected to it for such a long time. Tom and Jamie are lifetime friends, and for that I am forever grateful. It has shaped so much of my musical identity, so still contributing to that story, both as a DJ and producer, feels like a continuation rather than something separate.
What has always stood out about Freerange is its consistency of vision, focusing on music with depth, emotion, and longevity. Being part of that legacy, especially at a milestone like this, is really about helping carry that ethos forward rather than reflecting on the past.
WWD: This EP moves from Aroop Roy’s Detroit via London energy to Radic The Myth’s sun soaked closer. Where do you see ‘Everywhere At Once’ sitting within that arc?
I see ‘Everywhere At Once’ sitting more on the introspective, late night side of that arc. It bridges the more driving, rhythmic energy of the earlier tracks with something a bit more reflective and spacious towards the end.
It is not trying to compete with peak time moments, but instead adds contrast, bringing a sense of depth and atmosphere before things open out again. In that sense, it works as a kind of emotional pause in the journey, without breaking the flow.
For me, that balance is what makes an EP feel cohesive, different energies that still feel connected, rather than everything sitting in the same lane.
WWD: You have been inside the label long enough to understand its internal compass. What, in your view, makes a track feel Freerange?
For me, a Freerange track is less about a specific sound and more about a feeling. It usually has depth, musicality, and a sense of restraint, nothing overworked, but everything serving the groove and emotion of the record.
There is also a timeless quality to it. The tracks that really fit the label tend not to chase trends, but instead focus on strong writing, subtle detail, and something you can still connect with months or years down the line.
Ultimately, if a track feels human, soulful, and built around a strong idea rather than just production tricks, it usually sits in that Freerange space.
WWD: Which dancefloors have shaped your understanding of how your music lands?
Playing in places like Dubai, South Africa, Sonar in Barcelona, and across Europe has really shown me how universal house music can be, but also how differently it is felt in each place.
South Africa in particular stands out. The energy there is incredible, but what I have found is that they often lean towards slightly slower tempos, with more focus on groove and swing. I have had great reactions out there to tracks I might consider more low tempo, including an old one from my album called “Once Again,” which sits around 116 BPM. It really comes alive on those dancefloors.
It is a good reminder that BPM does not define impact. It is more about feel, rhythm, and space, and how people connect with that in the moment.
WWD: The Freerange Radioshow is nearing 300 episodes. How has curating that space with Jimpster sharpened your ear and broadened your network?
The Freerange Radioshow has been a really important part of staying connected to new music and ideas. Working on it with Jimpster for so long means we are constantly listening, filtering, and sharing tracks, which naturally sharpens the ear over time.
In the earlier days of the show we also had guests on, with artists like Solomun, Andre Lodemann, Diesel X Press 2, Hyenah, Deetron and others all contributing mixes. That period was a great way of building connections and hearing different approaches to selection and storytelling.
These days I run the show solo, which has become a different but equally rewarding process, more focused on my curation with Jimpster and how I want each episode to flow.
I am actually on show 284 now, so it has become a real long running commitment and a big archive of music when you think about how many episodes that represents.
WWD: Having watched the scene evolve for 20 years, what changes excite you and which ones challenge you?
Having been around the scene for a long time, I think the biggest change is how accessible everything has become. It is much easier for artists to release music, build a platform, and reach a global audience, which has opened things up in a really positive way.
What excites me most is the sheer amount of music being made and the way scenes are much more interconnected now. You hear influences from all over the world feeding into house music in a way that keeps it evolving and fresh.
At the same time, the volume of music can be overwhelming, and it can sometimes make it harder for tracks with real depth to cut through. There is a lot more noise, so the challenge is maintaining quality and focus without getting lost in trends or constant output pressure.
Ultimately though, the core of it has not changed, great music still connects in the same way it always has.
WWD: Jimpster once described your tracks as “full of originality and deep, dancefloor friendly loveliness.” How do you maintain freshness in a genre that constantly reinvents itself?
That is a very kind quote from Jimpster, and I think the key for me has always been not trying to chase what is current in house music.
I tend to focus more on feeling than reference points. If something sounds too familiar or like it is leaning on a trend, I will usually strip it back and see if there is a simpler, more honest idea underneath it.
Working within Freerange has also helped with that mindset, because the label has always valued depth and longevity over trends. That naturally pushes you towards making music that is more personal rather than reactive.
For me, freshness comes from restraint, experimentation within limits, and trusting your own taste rather than constantly looking sideways at what everyone else is doing.
WWD: Your music often balances melancholy with warmth. What draws you to that emotional palette?
I have always been drawn to that balance between melancholy and warmth. It feels the most human to me. Purely happy or purely dark music rarely feels as lasting.
In house music, I love when emotional chords or melodies sit inside a groove that still moves people physically. That contrast is what makes it interesting.
In the studio, I am usually chasing a feeling rather than a fixed mood. If something feels bittersweet but still uplifting in context, that is often where it starts to click.
WWD: What keeps you inspired, curious, and creatively hungry?
What keeps me going is still the feeling of discovering something new, whether that is a record, a production technique, or just a different way of approaching an idea in the studio.
Working around music every day through Freerange also helps. Being constantly exposed to new tracks and artists keeps things fresh and reminds you why you started in the first place.
I think curiosity is the main driver. As long as I feel like I am still learning and evolving, there is no real sense of repetition. Even after two decades, there is always another angle to explore or a different emotional space to tap into, and I am still excited to see what Freerange will do next.
WWD: What is next, more solo work, something unexpected?
At the moment I am continuing to focus on solo production work, with more material in the pipeline. I am also working on finishing my second album, which I am aiming to release early next year.
Alongside that, Danny Howells and I have been sending ideas back and forth again with a view to starting a second EP, which has been a really enjoyable process to revisit.
I have always liked keeping a balance between DJing and time in the studio, so that is still very much the priority. Nothing too forced, just following ideas as they come and seeing where they lead.
WWD: As the label moves into its fourth decade, what do you hope to see it champion or explore?
I would like to see Freerange continue doing what it has always done best, championing music with depth, soul, and longevity, but also keep evolving with the times in an organic way.
Looking at the 30 Years of Freerange release really sums that up for me. It is a reminder of just how much talent has come through the label over the years, from established names to newer artists, all connected by that same thread of musicality and emotional depth.
There is so much great music coming through from different parts of the world now, so continuing to explore new voices and perspectives feels really important. The label has always had that balance between established artists and new talent, and that is something worth maintaining.
More than anything, I hope it keeps trusting its identity. Trends will always come and go, but Freerange has always stood out by focusing on timeless music, and I think that approach still has plenty of space to grow in the next chapter.
WWD: What do you want people to feel when they hear ‘Everywhere At Once’ for the first time?
More than anything, I want people to feel good when they hear ‘Everywhere At Once’ for the first time, hopefully with a sense of warmth, energy, and connection.
It is not a peak time record or something designed for impact alone, it is more about atmosphere and that moment where you get a bit lost in the music, but in an uplifting way. If it works on a dancefloor and brings a smile at the same time, then it has done its job.
I like the idea that it can be enjoyed in different moments and settings, and still bring that same positive feeling.
WWD: Wise words! Thanks for the chat 🙂
‘Everywhere At Once’ is available here