The album is the prolific creator’s 3rd self-released album, and is his most ambitious and mature project to date
Delving into topics of loneliness, drug use, and broken relationships, With You is an album that takes inspiration from an array of different genres – from indie, synth-pop, R&B, shoegaze, Soundcloud underground, and ambient to meld a world that is seamlessly atmospheric as it is ethereal.
Mixed Matches is the moniker of artist/producer Ed Barrios, who originally grew up in Tampa (currently LA-based.) In crafting his ever-evolving sound, he took inspiration from indie/alt acts like My Bloody Valentine, Diiv, Bjork, Radiohead, Passion Pit, and Bon Iver along with underground heroes like Duwap Kaine, Nova, and Dylan Brady. Mixed Matches released his first 3 EPs in late 2018, and dropped his debut album opium in 2020.
Tell us about the genesis of Mixed Matches. How did you get to where you are now?
I first started off making music on my bedroom for fun as most do but I knew I wanted to do something interesting with it and I’m high school I was always imagining what I could do musically and what I could blend together, I think the way I got to this point was just by keeping my head into the work and focusing on making better and better music.
What should a song or piece of art communicate in your opinion?
I think it should communicate honest feelings or evoke something that feels really natural, I feel like if any piece of media can get you as excited or remind you of the Intense emotions you had when you were a kid then it’s doing a great job haha adulthood kinda dilutes that feeling so I feel like it’s special when you find something that brings it back a little.
Who were your top 3 artists last year?
The replacements, nirvana, and yeat hahhaha
What do you do when you’re feeling uninspired?
Bang my head against my desk lightly until something comes to mind or sit on my couch and watch YouTube videos
What are your 2022 projects and goals?
I’d like to start playing more shows and possibly do a little tour or something, I think that’d be fun but also I’d like to just make the best music I’m capable of , which is dumb to say cus that’s what I’m always telling myself, but I really wanna put myself out there and push what I’m capable of making and feel really proud of it all by the end of year.
Favorite movie or TV show?
Neon genesis evangelion and also right now I really like the movie drugstore cowboy, I really like movies and shows a lot and could talk about it more but I’m going to limit myself to that
Tell us about with you and how it came about.
With you came about over a year of working on stuff and ironically its an album mostly about being alone, not from any relationship in particular, but just the overall sense of being alone with yourself and your thoughts and mainly having to rely on solely you. At first it kinda sucks and is depressing but as time goes on you turn that loneliness into a state of self acceptance and slight empowerment like ,”well fuck it I guess I got me and that’s enough, I better go and make sure this shit works out”. In turns of making the music tho all of the songs are produced by me with some help from my close friends net gear and Javan Llosa, for some reason the movie wizards and the animated lord of rings inspired some of those songs slightly. I also wanted to bring forward a more pop sensible side of myself but still keep the influences of ambient, shoegaze, electronic pop and the little bit of the underground SoundCloud stuff that I started out producing and making in 2018. I also made 3 of the songs on the album on this month long trip I took to Europe where I mostly stayed in Barcelona n went to the Netherlands for a couple of days, that’s where I met flansie and Lukovic of goontex and they produce “knowyou/chlorine” with me and that was really cool to watch them work they’re great people.
What is the achievement or moment in your career you are the most proud of and why?
I dunno actually, I don’t think there’s one moment or something in particular, if anything it makes me happy and feel like I’m actually doing something good with my life when I get really nice messages from supporters saying that they like my music a lot or that it helps them someway, It’s pretty much what I wanted to do with this shit hahaha. Also I just think it’s kinda crazy that I found a way to make a living off creating songs on my computer hahaha it’s sick and I’m very fortunate and grateful to whatever is out there for it.
