Matt Carstens releases insightful new indie-pop single, ‘Tokyo Coast’

Matt Carstens releases insightful new indie-pop single, ‘Tokyo Coast’

“The latest in a series of wonderful works from one of SA’s most promising and prolific young songwriters.” – Malcolm McArb (Peer Music)

Featured Image photography credit: Merinda Carstens

Matt Carstens is a highly regarded 23-year-old singer-songwriter who hails from the cosy seaside hamlet of Gordon’s Bay in South Africa. This immensely dedicated musician only made his way onto stages in 2016, but has quickly become a ubiquitous name on charts and radio stations thanks to the infectious popularity of his beautifully written, expertly produced indie-pop hits and electric acoustic ballads.

Matt cut his teeth as a performer at prestigious festivals like InniBos, Strab and Up the Creek, sharing the stage with heavyweights like Majozi, Spoegwolf and Die Heuwels Fantasties, and went on to record his first full-length album, 2D Heart in 2017. This is the same year he won the annual battle of the bands at InniBos festival, as well as the #VanCokeColab, paving the way for his pop-dominant sound with the song Broken Society he wrote alongside Francois van Coke.

Matt’s second to last single, High, charted in the #1 spot on the 5FM Indie Chart. His previous single, Why Him, has also recently been playlisted by the high-profile station and had the distinction of slipping onto the 5FM Indie Chart at #9. Why Him is also currently ranked #4 on the PUK FM and MFM charts, respectively.

Matt’s latest single, Tokyo Coast, is a personal song with a very relatable theme – the need to escape restrictive spaces in which you feel misunderstood; to find a place where you can breathe and relax into your true being.

“At its core, Tokyo Coast is a song about escape. I think it’s a concept that every person can relate to on some level,” explains Matt. “Living in a world of perpetual change can be overwhelming and stressful to say the least, and as human beings we seek out so many different ways to escape the social constructs and dynamics that limits us. The song just runs with that concept from my personal experience. Hopefully, this tune can be someone else’s means of escaping.”

The team at Peer Music believes that Matt is a star on the rise and that his future looks bright indeed.

“Tokyo Coast is a heartfelt pop hymn about finding yourself outside yourself. This sublimely crafted song speaks to the listener looking for a physical and spiritual home within and without. Suitably transcendent in its construction, the track is the latest in a series of wonderful works from one of SA’s most promising and prolific young songwriters.”