There are two words that define the career of most artists – going solo.
Grit, musical integrity, and real talent are all out for the world to see when an artist makes this illustrious decision. Was the hype blown up by the sound of multiple guitar amps or can the artist sincerely hold a room?
One man has never had trouble holding a room. Since he picked up an instrument, okmattcollins was pushed straight into bands, churning out piece after piece through multiple acts, most notably his band WHARVES.
Collins then married singer-songwriter Sunny Luwe and collaborative music became his daily for many years, until he decided he had strayed a little far from himself, and the idea for 'Finding My Way Back' was born.
"This album is about finding my way back to my solo music," Collins confirms from Puppy Palace Studios, the double golden retriever laden location of the album's creation.
"I'm heavily involved with Sunny's music. We write, produce and gig together, and it's often been more of a priority than my solo music.
"From being very collaborative as a producer and in bands, this album was a different process. The end product is more direct and a lot more me. It's not being filtered through anyone else."
Drawing from Collins' diverse influences such as José González, The Verve and Coldplay, the album traverses tender acoustic tracks such as 'Poison' to heavily affected, guitar-lick tracks such as 'It's Time'.
The album's title track is a sonic delight that inspires hope while providing harmony-inducing melodic lines. Then there's a cover of Rüfüs du Sol's 'You Were Right' that feels right at home in the piece.
"It was a bit challenging being accountable to myself," Collins muses on the creative process. "I had to pick dates to have all the mixes and masters done and stick to them, and I locked in the release dates as soon as I had the artwork back.
"I haven't had to push anything back, which is good. I also like having someone to bounce ideas off. I've always been in bands, since I started playing music at 13.
"I was in a band the minute I picked up an instrument. I've always had someone to say that's a bad idea or that's a good idea and the reverse.
"Now, I have more confidence that I can do it by myself." Do it himself Collins did indeed, performing and recording every vocal, instrument and texture on the album, even completing the mixing.
It has been a long journey for Collins to this point, down a road he never considered to begin with. "I studied a Bachelor of Contemporary Music at Southern Cross University with a little bit of production, but it wasn't something I saw myself doing.
"In 2020, I started taking production seriously and recording albums and songs for other people. Then I did a professional placement with George Carpenter, and seeing his process gave me a lot of confidence."
Matt shares some production choices for the home enthusiast. "Little Plate by Sound Toys has been my go to reverb for 12 years, the Abbey Road setting; and the FabFilter Pro R in the last two years."
Some of the album's songs came quicker than others, and Collins shares one track from the album that was a pleasure to record. "There's a song called 'Poison' towards the end. It was real stream of consciousness.
"I woke up early one day and went down to the studio and just started playing. I wrote the song and recorded it in an hour, and that's the exact version on the album.
"It was just two microphones, one on guitar and one on my voice. I didn't want to overdo it, I just wanted it to be."
In a life so full of music, Collins' relationship to his craft has changed over time, its meaning evolving and growing, just like a good song.
"Prior to COVID, unconsciously, I put a lot of my value as a human on how the music performed and the success of it, but through COVID, I was forced to stop and evaluate things. I explored different aspects of myself.
"For a long time with WHARVES, the foot was on the accelerator the whole time and there wasn't a lot of reflection time. Now I really appreciate the process and the creative act rather than the outcome.
"I just love the experience of doing music, the social aspects of gigging and playing in different projects, and the community and camaraderie you get when you play music."
With nature and the environment close to his heart, Collins and wife Sunny ensured the album's creation was carbon neutral through carbon offsetting and partnering with Gondwana Rainforest Trust.
"They're an awesome not-for-profit who buy land surrounding the Daintree Rainforest, and protect and rehabilitate it to expand the rainforest," Collins explains.
"Sometimes they give the land to the traditional custodians to be managed by First Nations people. It's a really amazing charity."
