Mattafix

Marlon Roudette of Mattafix spent his childhood on St. Vincent learning steel drums, while bandmate Preetesh Hirji was born in London to Indian parents and developed an early fascination with computers. Despite these separate origins, the pair crafts urban pop that aligns seamlessly with European radio formats. The two first crossed paths inside a recording studio, struck up a friendship, and soon formed a group. They took the name Mattafix, adapted from the West Indian phrase “matter fixed,” then issued the single “Big City Life” in summer 2005. Blending island cadence with clean production, the track quickly entered rotation across Continental stations. Their debut album, Signs of a Struggle, followed several months later. After roughly a year of touring, the duo began writing and recording the next record, Rhythm & Hymns. Although the album surfaced in November 2007, they had already released the charity single “Living Darfur” with Save Darfur and Crisis Action to spotlight the continuing conflict in the region.