Unsigned Brisbane multi-instrumentalist Matt Hsu, who conceived the one-person folk orchestra Obscure Orchestra, has created a whopping hip hop track with 17 folk instruments. In more than a year, he has written songs with international artists like Tenzin Choegyal from Tibet and Kenta Hayashi from Japan. In 2017, Matt performed at BIGSOUND 2017, toured Japan, was a finalist at the Los Angeles CineFest and The Monthly Film Festival 2017 and was nominated for the Queensland Music Awards with his band, The Mouldy Lovers.

Steeped in the music world since childhood, Matt Hsu plays more than 30 instruments from around the world including the trumpet, double bass, clarinet, accordion, shakuhachi and random objects found in his travels. He creates multi-layered compositions that are wholly organic sounds which explore the grey areas between cultures and evokes soundtracks to curious international art house films with forest adventures, heists, feisty heroines and sentient plants, and animated by Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli.

Matt independently creates music videos with diverse artists, receiving acclaim from various international film festivals and is often compared to Sufjan Stevens, Shugo Tokumaru and Bjork. Matt’s recordings can be heard on local radio stations across Australia, while his live shows are part multi-instrumental delight, part stand-up comedy. Matt has also collaborated and performed at Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre (BEMAC), DIY Festival, The Angry Mime, and The Bearded Lady where his performances were lighthearted and amusing.

He wants to do a call out for rappers to feature in his hip hop track. To follow up on his hip hop track development, email Matt for an update.

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