Aussie dance music duo Mashd N Kutcher have been producing bangers together for the better part of the last 10 years. Since meeting in 2013, they’ve gone on to tour both Australia and the world with familiar hits such as “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “My Sunshine”. However most will know them better for their 2020 pandemic banger “Get On The Beers” featuring Victorian Premier, Dan Andrews.
But the next project for Matt Minor and Adam Morris, as they’re known outside of Mashd N Kutcher, wasn’t another mash-up or political parody. Instead they’ve collaborated with global gaming audio brand, Turtle Beach, to produce a new electro track inspired by all things gaming.
The track titled “WHEN U COLLAB WITH TURTLE BEACH” takes inspiration from in-game sounds as well as the clicks and clacks of gaming peripherals. The song release also celebrates the launch of Turtle Beach’s new Recon 500 headsets, which can be seen in their music video. And according to Matt, listening to “WHEN U COLLAB WITH TURTLE BEACH” through Recon 500’s is “a real treat.”
With the release of “WHEN U COLLAB WITH TURTLE BEACH”, Game On AUS were given the opportunity to chat with the lads behind the music. We asked them all about electro beats, chicken beaks and of course, bloody gaming!
NICCO – “WHEN U COLLAB WITH TURTLE BEACH” is an absolute banger and I immediately wanted to add it to my gaming playlist. Do you boys have a playlist you listen to while gaming or a particular genre?
Mashd N Kutcher – Ideally the soundtracks to the games themselves are always the go to, especially if they’re interactive with the games. Some like Rocket League or 2K21 have some awesome soundtracks so they are the way to go.
N – Most Aussies outside of the EDM community would probably know you best for “Get On The Beers”, which is what I would consider a lockdown anthem. You’ve taken on the gaming community with this banger, are there any other communities you could spread your creativity to?
MNK – You challenge us we’ll give it a go haha! sports would be a lot of fun.
N – Did lockdown affect the way you created music? Were you able to bunker up together or did you shoot ideas to each other remotely?
MNK – Didn’t really make anything for a while, or know how to find inspiration to, so I guess looking to our tv screens and politicians was about all we had for a while there, haha.
N – How long does it take to go from hearing a sound or a speech or a song to producing a fully fledged mashup? And how quick was the turn around for “WHEN U COLLAB WITH TURTLE BEACH”?
MNK – Usually a good couple of hours to get the idea down and then maybe a few weeks of feedback and refinement to fine tune. This was the case for TB.
N – You’ve used actual peripheral sounds in the track, including the sound of a mouse hitting the desk. How many different sounds did you collect for this 3+ minute track and were there any mice hurt in the making?
MNK – Can confirm no mice electrical or mammalian were injured. used about 20 sounds all up.
N – I spied Cyberpunk 2077 in the making of video, which is full of electronic beats. Was there inspiration taken from that or is there any other specific games you took inspiration/sounds from?
MNK – I guess subliminally yes went for that retro vibe. it started as a house track but morphed into some sort of electro punk thing, haha.
N – After a show, do you ever come home and wind down with video games? Do you have a favourite game to wind down with in general?
MNK – The switch is probably a good one for hotel rooms. super smash is one of those games that gets a run with the lads mid week before the shows. Maybe we should make it a ritual to get SSB in green rooms before shows?
N – What’s the earliest gaming experience you have from when you were younger? Do you have an all-time favourite game?
MNK – Parents actually had an Intellivision. won’t even try and explain that one, if you know you know. SNES, PS1, N64, PS2 all the usual suspects got a run. Goldeneye was actually so good back then but haha played it recently and let’s just say it doesn’t look great on a 4k tv, lol.
N – Lastly, and this is a bit random, what’s your favourite part of the chicken?
MNK – Its beak because it allows it to communicate its feelings. Chickens have feelings too ok.
