The dancefloor can be a space for emotive introspection as much as it is a catalyst for hedonism. London-based producer and DJ Teisha Matthews, AKA TSHA, has spent the past four years crafting tracks filled with sparkling melodies and enveloping instrumentals that inspire sweaty crowds with that sense of self-reflection, as well as providing space for kinetic catharsis.
Debuting in 2018 with her EP Dawn, Matthews combined bright vocal features with layered percussion and expansive keyboard sounds to create an electro-acoustic mix reminiscent of early tracks by singer-songwriter Sampha and the orchestral inflections of producer Bonobo’s work. It was the latter’s inclusion of her propulsive single Sacred in his 2019 compilation for London mega-club Fabric that catapulted Matthews from crate-digging find to mainstream floor-filler. With subsequent continent-crossing tours under her belt and a record deal with Bonobo’s Ninja Tune, she has just released her debut album, Capricorn Sun.
Across its 12 tracks, Matthews harks back to the acoustic warmth of her earlier productions, as well as creating arena-sized tracks packed with euphoric refrains. “It’s for the empaths and those that love them,” Matthews playfully told Interview Magazine. There is the piano-laden softness of tracks such as Sister, but also the thundering, body-moving percussion of Dancing in the Shadows and the cavernous synths of Giving Up, seamlessly traversing the emotive spectrum of dancefloor experiences.
Capricorn Sun is out now on Ninja Tune. TSHA will play Depot Mayfield, Manchester, on 21 October
