In June, Matoma & A R I Z O N A were happy to announce the winner and runner-up of the remix competition for “Heart So Big”, hosted by Masterchannel.

UK-based singer-songwriter and producer Jamie A secured the Grand Prize, winning an official remix release, a one-on-one feedback session with Matoma and 1-year Masterchannel Poweruser membership. Sweden-based electronic duo laikd were chosen as the runner-up, securing a one-on-one feedback session with Matoma and 1-year Masterchannel Poweruser membership. Big congratulations to both!

Matoma shares the rationale behind the selection of the winners:
The unique sound and outstanding production was the reason the remixes were so intriguing. Jamie A’s remix showcased a unique sound that secured him a well-deserved win. laikd’s outstanding production skills didn’t go unnoticed, securing them the runner-up spot. 

Jamie A is inspired by all music, past, present and future, from progressive rock to mainstream pop, Jamie’s sound is ever evolving. His distinctive vocals, creative lyrics and catchy melodies, span across every one of his productions and collaborative projects, securing him the winner spot in numerous remix competitions held by some of the biggest names in house music (Disclosure, MJ Cole), now also adding Matoma & A R I Z O N A to the list.

Using masterchannel was incredibly easy. After loading in my mix within a few clicks and a small waiting time, the track was fully mastered. It was a very efficient service I would recommend to anyone.

– Jamie A

Jamie A shares his experience with Masterchannel:

I forced myself to learn how to master my own music. This meant I had to learn a multitude of plugins inside and out, and how a specific series of these plugins affect the sound of the mix. This was a lengthy process that, whilst of course was very valuable, was highly inefficient, taking lots of time away from the writing and production process. Masterchannel’s speed makes it perfect for anyone wanting to focus purely on production and ultimately making the best songs they can, knowing that the final mastered song will be always be a quality product. Masterchannel adds that last 10% to the song, if not more, in much the same way as traditional mastering. 

Listen to the winner remix here:

After the better part of a decade of bedroom production, electronic music duo laikd started their mainstream musical journey as a way to share their love for music with people from all around the world. Blending a lot of guitars and other organic elements with groovy and powerful electronic sounds, the duo aims to make a fresh imprint on the music scene. 

Our experience with Masterchannel has been really solid! We loved the fact that Masterchannel is made for “from ground-up” mastering, which means no more messing around with crazy master bus processing before sending the track to mastering. All in all, this makes Masterchannel a real time-saver that simultaneously delivers great results! 

-laikd

laikd share their experience with Masterchannel:

The biggest challenge for us producers when it comes to mastering is typically making sure the mix translates well on all playback systems. It’s really easy to get used to the studio envinronment your producing the track in and make flawed mix and mastering decisions as a result of working in a not so ideal room. Masterchannel lets us work around those physical limitations and delivers a neutral and great sounding master for all systems and places. 

Listen to laikd’s remix here: