Recloose is the recording name of Matthew Chicoine, a Detroit-born DJ and producer who later relocates to Auckland. His work sits across electronic music, techno, house and broken beat, and his career develops from Detroit’s club and label culture into New Zealand’s electronic scene.

Early background

Chicoine spends eight years studying music and playing jazz saxophone before turning his attention to collecting and mixing vinyl at the University of Michigan. His DJ sets first reach an audience on Ann Arbor’s WCBN, and this period helps establish his reputation as a selector and turntablist.

Detroit beginnings

In spring 1997 he comes into contact with techno pioneer Carl Craig through a well-known demo exchange, which leads to Recloose signing to Craig’s Planet E label. He also performs as a turntablist with Carl Craig’s Innerzone Orchestra and with the more experimental Uri Caine ensemble.

Recordings and remixes

Recloose releases 12-inch singles for Planet E and Rush Hour, along with a live album, full-length records and remixes for a wide range of artists. His remix credits include Funkadelic, Herbert, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Tei Towa, Dennis Coffey, MJ Cole and Azymuth.

His first album, Cardiology, appears in 2002 on Planet E and !K7. In 2005 he follows it with Hiatus On The Horizon on Peacefrog/Loop, an album featuring New Zealand musicians and vocalists and including the track “Dust” with Fat Freddy’s vocalist Joe Dukie. In 2006 the Recloose Live Band records Backwards and Sideways at the San Francisco Bathhouse; it is issued on his imprint Fingertips in early 2007. Perfect Timing follows in 2008 and includes contributions from Tyna Keelan, Rachel Fraser, Joe Dukie and Jonathan Crayford. That album receives the Tui Award for best Electronica/Dance album of 2008.

He also releases Early Works in 2010 with Rush Hour, collecting early Detroit material, and continues to issue 12-inch records on Rush Hour and Delusions of Grandeur.

New Zealand work

Recloose relocates to New Zealand in 2001. There he expands his role beyond recording and DJing, launching the Hit It & Quit It radio show on George FM in 2009 with Frank Booker. The show becomes one of the station’s most listened-to programmes. In 2010 he takes up residence at the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand, where he helps develop a full-time DJ and electronic music production programme, while also studying for a master’s degree at the University of Auckland.

Style and activity

Across his career, Recloose is known for eclectic DJ sets and for work that links Detroit techno, house, broken beat and related electronic styles, drawing on both his jazz training and his background in vinyl culture.