Mount Sims (also Mt. Sims) is the stage name of Matthew Sims an L.A.-based DJ/producer/musician. His work is situated within the field of electronic music, though it shows influences as varied as post punk, new wave, funk, techno and darkwave.
Striking about his work is that he is almost exclusively responsible for every aspect of it: from the vocals and the instrumentation to the production.His first album, "Ultra Sex" (2002/International DeeJay Gigolo Records) was an instant underground success.
It incorporated many styles that were later defined as the genre electroclash. It showed his far reaching musical background and talent. Major influences to the work were German and British new wave bands, funk and electronica.
The album Ultrasex, as the title suggests, was a concept album centred around the themes of technology and sexuality. It contains the electro-pop hit "How We Do", as well as what is considered by many to be his most outstanding work to date: The innovative, part-rhythmical/part a-rhythmical, challenging, yet catchy "Rational Behaviour".
His second offering "Wild Light" (2005/International Deejay Gigolo) has seen him move away from the dancefloor-orientated catchiness of his first LP "Ultrasex" and focus on the matter of death and information.
The music is more melancholic in expression. Major musical influences are the 80's darkwave and post punk styles throughout the album. David J. Bauhaus played bass on some of Wild Light's songs. While moving away from the electroclash movement has secured Mount Sims a place of being recognized as a genuine artist, fans of Ultrasex have been impressed and disappointed by his more difficult second album in equal measures.
Like "Wild Light" Mt. Sims's third album "Happily Ever After" (2008/ Hungry Eye Records), is of made from themes which touch on the darker side of human nature: Obsession, isolation, horror and madness.
It was produced by Thomas Stern of Crime and the City Solution, and features guest appearances by Jessie Evans (formerly of Subtonix, Autonervous and The Vanishing), Toby Dammit (Swans, The Residents and Iggy Pop) and Bryan Black (Motor).
Album artwork is by Peter Wu with layout by Dez of CROSSOVER. Photography is by Echo Danon.In 2009, Mt. Sims, the current incarnation of Mount Sims (with Rand Twigg on bass and Andre Lange on drums), have been asked by The Knife's Olof Dreijer, along with Planningtorock and some other notable artists, to collaborate on a project commissioned by Pro Forma - a Danish performance group.
"Tomorrow, In a Year", an opera about Charles Darwin, was released in 2010 through Rabid Records, first digitally on 28 Jan and then physically on 1 Mar.Mount Sims has been responsible for Madonna's remixes of her song "Nobody Knows me", of her 2003 album American Life.
Matthew Sims is currently living and working in Berlin, Germany.Mt. Sims Live in Budapest @ A38 (2008)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h5p9G0gjeQMt. Sims Live in Berlin @ BangBangClub (2008)http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=_J4k-6pBIOE
