Paste Sessions Brooklyn: Watch Matt Hartke Perform at Ilegal Mezcal

Paste Sessions Brooklyn: Watch Matt Hartke Perform at Ilegal Mezcal

Paste Studio “On The Road” recently paid a visit to Ilegal Mezcal in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, on a sunny day full of music and beverages on the East River. Matt Hartke joined us to share a song called “All the Wheels” from his first full length album, one of his current singles, “Summer of Love,” and fan favorite “London’s Song,” written for his daughter London.

Full Session

There was an ice cream truck parked in front of Ilegal Mezcal when Hartke arrived, blasting full volume. The ice cream truck song was bleeding into the mics, so we took the opportunity to kick back with a beverage until they decided to move along. It’s always nice to hit “pause” and reset during a long production day, and it proved to be a glorious way to start our final session. Listen to the vocal control on this first tune. What an absolute pleasure it is to work with professionals, wheee! The studio version of “All The Wheels” will be released on Hartke’s first-ever full length LP in early 2025, and you can hear it before then exclusively on vinyl later in 2024. Until then, feast your ears on this Paste Studio version:

“All the Wheels”

Between the first and second song, we discuss balancing a life in music. Hartke has been off the road for the last five years, choosing to stay in the same zip code even after the pandemic faded into the background. He has two little kids to raise—why not stay near home and be with the girls as they grow? Touring will become a part of the equation for Hartke again, but he sounds committed to touring thoughtfully (or “slow touring,” as the Teskey Brothers call it), allowing enough time to carpe all the diems along the way, and to prioritize family.

“Summer of Love”

Speaking of family, the last song in Hartke’s session was written for his daughter London, and is probably most listeners’ first exposure to his music released under his own name. He has done quite well for himself writing for other artists, including some of the biggest names in pop like The Chainsmokers, Lana Del Rey, Avicii and Tiesto. That’s why I referred to the forthcoming record as his “first-ever full length LP,” and not his “debut.” They’re both technically accurate, but using the word “debut” doesn’t seem like the right way to refer to an album from an artist who has been doing it at this level for this long.

“London’s Song”

Big thanks to Matt Hartke and our friends at Ilegal Mezcal for bringing these sessions to life, and please stay tuned for more Paste x Ilegal sessions to come!

 
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