VA - Matters Of The Heart (2021)

Behind The Sky is proud to present our 16th release, a gorgeous overview of contemporary downtempo electronic music, compiled by label DJ and co-collaborator extraordinaire DJ Maggie. The global ambient music scene and small chillout rooms are the spaces that have fed and informed our musical taste since the early 90’s. Paying homage to the deep waters and magical moments of the lesser and the unknown, this compilation is a love song to the community and sound that has inspired everything that we do.

“Collaborative creative projects have always held a special place in my heart. I learned about creative collaboration from hosting weekly Art Night events in the early 90s, teaming up with others to construct theme camps at Burning Man, and organizing outdoor gatherings with my Floasis and Moontribe crews. The spirit of many working toward a common creative goal is something that inspires me more than just about anything else. When Evan approached me to curate a compilation for Behind the Sky, highlighting this incredible community of inspiring electronic music, it felt like a great fit and an opportunity to invest energy in creative collaborative projects.

One of the things that excites me, as a DJ, is the opportunity to connect with the artists who make the music, even if it’s just to let them know their tunes have resonated with me. So many wonderful friendships have formed from the simple act of showing appreciation. Having been presented with the opportunity to compile Matters of the Heart, I leapt at the chance to have an even more tangible way to showcase this amazing music that touches my soul. Along the way, we lucked out to gain the support and participation of Michael Divine, who provided the incredible cover art. Besides being a world-class visionary artist, he is also a sweet friend of many years.

Some of the producers on Matters of the Heart are up and coming, while others are seasoned veterans of the electronic music culture. All of them have a unique voice. All of them resonate deeply with me. I hope they will for you, too, and in that spirit, I humbly present to you, Matters of the Heart.” - DJ Maggie

A veteran of the west coast underground and desert party scene, DJ Maggie has been mixing music since 2004 and brings an ever-changing blend of lush downtempo, ambient, chilled-out psychedelia, and deep bass to her mixes. Recent developments have seen her establishing a firm presence in the Twitch universe with two weekly streams devoted to celebrating the downbeat on her own channel, as well as co-producing two streams with friend and label collaborator Bluetech.

Over 14 tracks and 7 countries, the artists on Matters of the Heart represent a cross-section of some of the most amazing, innovative and highly complex electronic music that is being released internationally. From the drum n bass-inspired minimalism of Russian producer Bop, the masterful sonic manipulation of American producer KiloWatts, the organic and genre-defying soul of UK producer Seb Taylor aka Hibernation, to the austere and chilling perfection of Ocoeur’s ambient impressionism, this compilation represents a journey through emotion, tenderness, feeling and connection.