Depending on whom you ask, Matthew Dear (born in Kingsville, Texas, USA) is… Read Full Bio ↴Depending on whom you ask, Matthew Dear (born in Kingsville, Texas, USA) is a DJ, a dance-music producer, an experimental pop artist, a bandleader. He co-founded both Ghostly International and its dancefloor offshoot, Spectral Sound. He’s had remixes commissioned by The xx, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Spoon, Hot Chip, The Postal Service and The Chemical Brothers; he’s made mixes for the Fabric mix series and Get Physical’s Body Language. He maintains four aliases (Audion, False, Jabberjaw, and Matthew Dear), each with its own style and distinct visual identity. He straddles multiple musical worlds and belongs to none — and he’s just hitting his stride.

Dear’s first single was 1999’s "Hands Up For Detroit" (co-produced by ghettotech pioneer Disco D, who performed under the name Daisha). Successive singles, such as "Stealing Moves" and the chart-topping "Mouth to Mouth" (as Audion) were issued on Spectral Sound, Ghostly’s offshoot that focuses on dancefloor music.

Matthew Dear’s 2003 full-length Ghostly debut, "Leave Luck to Heaven", is a suite of sparse, wickedly funky house laced with Dear’s deep, distinctive vocals, and includes the much-loved single “Dog Days” (voted one of Pitchfork’s Top 100 Songs of the decade). The record was met with rapturous acclaim from both the dance-music establishment and the critical press, including a four-star review in Rolling Stone. Dear’s 2007 follow-up, "Asa Breed", is a considerable departure from Heaven’s dancefloor excursions, incorporating the polyrhythms of afrobeat, the irreverent pop sensibilities of Brian Eno, and the austere beauty of krautrock. More four-stars reviews followed (Q and Mojo magazines), and Dear subsequently began touring with a live three-piece band, Matthew Dear’s Big Hands, in which he acted as frontman, commanding the stage with a Bryan Ferry-like swagger and a gentleman’s grace.

Today, Matthew Dear finds himself in a unique position. His highly anticipated fourth album, 2010’s Black City, is the culmination of years of hard work and experimentation, a darkly playful sound-world that envelops the listener like the arms of a malevolent lover. After over a decade of exploring pop’s outer limits, Matthew Dear now inhabits a rarefied corner of the musical universe: no longer tethered to any one genre, respected by his peers, and blessed with a bottomless well of creative energy. Now is Matthew Dear’s moment, and it sounds like nothing else.

Pom pom
Matthew Dear Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(love)
Can make your world go round
(love)
Can really bring you down
(love)
It's such a state of mind
(love)
Can take a long long time

(love)

I've got to figure out love
(love)

(love)
It's such a tricky thing
(love)
Can include diamond rings
(love)
Will make you scream and shout
(love)
If there is no way out

[x2]

I've got to figure out love
(love)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in Matthew Dear's song Pom Pom talk about the complexities of love and how it can both uplift and bring a person down. The singer acknowledges that love is a state of mind but it can take a considerable amount of time to understand it. The phrase "make your world go round" implies that love can have a positive effect on someone's life, while "bring you down" suggests that it can have negative effects as well.

The second stanza talks about the dilemma of love - it can be a tricky thing that can include material possessions like diamond rings, but at the same time, it can make a person scream and shout if there's no way out of a bad relationship. The repetition of "I've got to figure out love" emphasizes the confusion and uncertainty the singer feels about this powerful emotion. It's as if the singer is searching for a way to understand and master love, as if it's a puzzle that needs solving.

The song implies that love is not just an emotion, but a complex and multifaceted concept that requires time and experience to understand. It's a reminder that love is not always easy and may not always lead to a happy ending.

Line by Line Meaning

(love)
Love has the power to make everything in your life revolve around it.

(love)
Love can also have a negative impact on your life.

(love)
Love is a complex emotional state.

(love)
It takes a lot of time to fully experience and understand love.

(love)
I need to understand the true nature of love.

(love)
Love is difficult to fully comprehend.

(love)
Love can involve material things like expensive jewelry.

(love)
Love can be so intense that you can't help but express your strong emotions.

(love)
It's important to find a way out of a bad situation when love is involved.

I've got to figure out love
Understanding love is a personal journey that requires effort.

(love)
I still need to work on mastering what love is.