Matt & Kim celebrate album success with Seattle stop

Matt Johnson, of the dance music duo Matt and Kim, discussed the band’s newest, critically acclaimed album on Seattle Sounds in advance of a show in Seattle October 30.

The new release, called Lightning, dropped last week and immediately receieved a great response from critics and fans alike, springing to the top of iTunes charts.

“I am blown away at the response at the shows at the shows of how many people are singing along to all of the new songs and still dancing just as wild, not just waiting for the older ones – just after a week how much people know the new stuff” says Matt.

It’s a unique album because the duo wrote, recorded, and produced the music without producers, and in their own apartment. They sometimes even found themselves working so late into the night that they’d end up falling asleep right next to their instruments.

“I think making it in Brooklyn and doing it ourselves – it came out as unfiltered Matt and Kim at the end,” says Matt.

They premiered their newest music video on Funny or Die, and it looks a lot like a blooper reel from a family photo album.

Director Dugan O’Neal approached the band with his idea of creating a stream of photo-poses in the video, including shots in ugly Christmas sweaters, ski jackets, geek glasses, crazy patterned button-up shirts, and sweater vests. It looks awkward, and hilariously so.

“We just kind of pulled from real situations that had happened, such as me, Kim, a pregnant couple, and their child all with our shirts off in a photo together. Because people really take photos like this, it’s incredible,” says Matt.

Matt admits that they aren’t afraid to embarrass themselves, and that makes them an incredibly entertaining, dynamic pair to watch on-stage.

Matt and Kim play at the Neptune on Tuesday, October 30.