Former Chesterfield DJ is riding high on success of dance music track

A producer and DJ who cut his teeth in Chesterfield is riding on the crest of a wave after releasing his biggest track to date.
Matt Guy cut his teeth as a resident DJ in Chesterfield (photo: Jack Kimber Photography)Matt Guy cut his teeth as a resident DJ in Chesterfield (photo: Jack Kimber Photography)
Matt Guy cut his teeth as a resident DJ in Chesterfield (photo: Jack Kimber Photography)

Matt Guy’s creation, Set My Mind Free, is currently sitting in the UK’s biggest dance music playlist on Spotify, Massive Dance Hits, as well as UK House Music and Electronic Circus. His track coupled a sample from Tony Terry’s 1989 classic Forget The Girl with an iconic, nostalgia-infused bassline and contagious melodies.

Set My Mind Free has had huge support across radio and playlisting. The track was first championed by Radio 1 DJ Sarah Story on her Friday night show Future Dance back in April, way before the track was officially released. It went on to be played in most of Sarah’s sets over the summer.

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The track has supercharged dancefloors across the globe, owing to the support of internationally renowned DJs Solomun, Tini Gessier and Gorgon City. Set My Mind Free was picked up and released by independent record label Armada Music.

Such success has put Matt’s career on the trajectory and cemented his status as one to watch in 2023.

Matt, who grew up in Nottingham, moved to Sheffield briefly for university where he spent time each week with a sound engineer to learn the foundations of producing. From there he started playing house and techno music as a DJ in Chesterfield.

He said: “I was a resident DJ in Chesterfield for just over 12 months after being given my first opportunity to play live by a local DJ and promoter, Stu Allan, who held a residency in Moo Bar’s back room. His parents used to live next door to me in Holmewood and passed on a business card when they heard me pulling onto the drive playing techno far too loud with the windows down! Stu then invited me over to the studio and the rest is history.

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"I began at Moo Bar in winter 2016 until the autumn 2017, then ended that year with a two-month residency for ‘Cue’ in November and December in So Bar’s club room where I played alongside Weiss, Cloonee, Pete Griffiths, Jaytee, Mindek and more.

"The residency gave me the experience and confidence to mix and play live, as well as having to read the room and work to keep the crowd!

“As I do now, I played everything from house to techno. I remember at the time Prok & Fitch’s ‘Sheeple’ used to be a staple in my sets and this track always brings me back to that Moo back room!"

From Chesterfield, Matt went on to play regularly at the established London clubbing venue Egg.

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Matt still lives on the outskirts of Nottingham and continues to travel to London and Amsterdam for shows. A huge Notts County fan, his track Set My Mind Free is regularly played at the home ground before matches.

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