He lives and breath… Read Full Bio ↴Matt Hardwick is the epitome of an international DJ.
He lives and breathes electronic music. Since his inception into club culture Matt Hardwick has completely immersed himself in it. His rapid ascendany into dance music with the global phenomenon that is Gatecrasher is something which has been well documented. The association with Gatecrasher, the first of many landmark achievements in his career, took Matt's name from the dusty streets of Sheffield to the bright lights akin with international stardom, along the way seeing him play some of the greatest events the world of clubbing has to offer. Whether it was playing at the sell-out Don Valley stadium gig in front of 28,000 people on New Years Eve 2000 or playing to 15,000 people at the amazing Gatecrasher NEC events - Matt was the heartbeat of the lion that roared throughout the trance boom of the late 90's.
However, Matt's growing reputation really came to the fore only as recently as the beginning of 2002 with the completion of his first Radio 1 Essential Mix. The mix struck a chord with clubbers and promoters the world over. The resounding success of his debut Essential mix led to Radio 1 requesting a follow up in October 2005. This mix was so popular it was quickly shortlisted for the `Essential mix of the year`, only to be pipped to the post by Sasha.
In the ten years that he maintained weekly residency with the globally renowned Gatecrasher, Matt packed and delighting dance floors from Sydney to Los Angeles to Moscow and Johannesburg.
In late 2004 Matt's position as Gatecrasher resident ceased, as he felt that the resident tag was inhibiting his development as a DJ in his own right. Entirely amicable his departure raised many an eyebrow but went on to surpass even the most cynical of these critics as Matt's career blossomed. A testament to his ability is that, whilst travelling the globe over, Matt is still booked regularly to perform for the club, as he is for Godskitchen, Ministry of Sound, Slinky, Passion and The Gallery.
Whilst retaining a strong diary of club dates, Matt has also been a prominent feature at many of the world's most prolific festivals including 50,000 people at Castle Dance in St Petersburg, Godskitchen Global Gathering, Creamfields, Homelands, Escape in the Park, South West 4, Laserpoint Festival in Finland and Gatecrasher Summer Sound System. Whilst enjoying successful tours throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe, North and South America.
All this aside, it is perhaps Matt`s production profile which has brought his name to the fore of recent years. From his first two singles with the popular duo Smith & Pledger, entitled Day One and Connected, through to his club anthem `Slave to the Machine` with fellow DJ John Askew, Matt's music has received extended support from the likes of Tiesto, Paul Oakenfold, Armin Van Buuren, Ferry Corsten and Judge Jules and found its way on to over 50 compilations worldwide. To follow up on the success of their joint single, Matt and John launched a double CD compilation called `Live as` for `Discover World` in 2006. Mixed club live and box fresh the `Live As` series gives a raw appeal that most commercial album somewhat lack, providing a real experience of the dj in his truest form.
However, it was 2007 when Matt Hardwick really came of age when after kicking off the year with his remix of `Gulf - Impossible` was selected by Motorola, along with mixes by Mauro Picotto and Marco V, to launch the new David Beckham Razr phone, before being invited by his old family in Sheffield to record an underground mix on the retrospective album, "Gatecrasher Immortal", following the fire at the superclub. The album received critical acclaim and went on to sell an unprecedented 100,000 copies and shortly after saw Matt being voted number 48 in the world in the 2007 DJ Mag Top 100 Poll (up 16 places from 2006).
It's business as usual for one of electronic music's brightest stars.
Connected
Matt Hardwick Vs. Smith & Pledger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Disolve the darkness,
Fuse the air with calm,
Suddenly I feel I'm not alone,
But connected, somehow forgiven.
The lyrics to Matt Hardwick & Smith & Pledger's song Connected seem to talk about a sudden transformation from darkness to light. The opening lines, "See the edge of dawn, Dissolve the darkness," seem to suggest the end of a dark and uncertain period. The next line, "Fuse the air with calm," goes on to suggest the quiet and peaceful atmosphere that follows the darkness. With this dawn comes a sense of comfort and belonging as the writer says, "Suddenly I feel I'm not alone." This shift from loneliness to belonging further supports the idea that the dawn brings hope and renewed life.
The final line of the song, "But connected, somehow forgiven," is a nod to the transformational power of forgiveness. The writer seems to suggest that with this new day comes a sense of forgiveness, and a release from the heavy burdens of the past. With this forgiveness comes a connectedness to the world around them, and a sense of purpose that they might not have had before.
Overall, the song Connected is a powerful testament to the hope and resilience that come with a new day. It suggests that no matter how dark the night, there is always hope on the horizon. The themes of forgiveness, peace, and connectedness are universal and highly relatable, making this song a timeless piece that can be enjoyed by listeners of all ages and backgrounds.
Line by Line Meaning
See the edge of dawn,
Witness the first light of day, the moment when darkness begins to dissipate.
Disolve the darkness,
Caus e the obscurity and gloom to vanish and give way to light and clarity.
Fuse the air with calm,
Combine the atmosphere with serenity and tranquility.
Suddenly I feel I'm not alone,
Abruptly, I sense that I'm not isolated or secluded, but in the company of something else.
But connected, somehow forgiven.
In some way, I feel linked or joined to something, and also absolved or pardoned of past offenses.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: GRANGER SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steve Muckley
I will never ever get bored of this track, still absolutely magical!!
John Martin
I agree, magical is the perfect word to sum up this tune, so much feeling and drive. What a beauty!
Paul V
Here in November, 2021, it still is!!! Some things stand the test of time, because it was way ahead of its time. There are so many that could not grasp this tune back then, and even today still, most never will. Music such as this transcends the sound...
Steve Muckley
@Paul V I still listen to it on an almost daily basis, the new stuff just doesn't touch you in the same way this stuff did.
Paul V
@Steve Muckley you are so right. The new stuff sounds "cheezy", like Ariana Grande made it. Terrible.
Sebastien Seb
Bravo...
emotioncomingsoon
i really miss Matt Hardwick and of course Smith & Pledger.
The golden Trance days ...
fbplayr75
seriously, why does no one make music like this anymore?
Leonardo 45
because the kids all want EDM....and unfortunately, they seem to have it.
Beruble
FYI this track is also EDM... But yeah the money is in the pop side of EDM now. But i still dont see a reason why nobody makes tracks like this. All the trance labels now only have the evolved trance that leans a lot to the mainstream EDM side.