Sherm Talks 'Standing Ovation,' Sherm In The Booth, ADE And Hood Politics Records – Forbes

Sherm.
Matt Sherman, known best behind the decks as Sherm, has never stopped his relentless mission to create energetic, authentic and unapologetically Sherm music since his start in 2014. Sherman is not only a tastemaker: He hosts a podcast series dubbed Sherm in the Booth, moderates Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) panels and acts as A&R for Hood Politics Records. He certainly proves to be a multifaceted creative, one that stays in tune with the hottest trends in the scene and helps influence what’s next in dance music.
On Friday, December 15th, the artist once again proved his production prowess with the release of “Standing Ovation,” co-produced with Chris Diaz and out via Candy Flip Records.
The song features playful basslines, slithering and shimmering synths, driving buildups, funky drops, entrancing yet indecipherable toplines and driving drums. The house heater is certainly club-ready, slated to get ravers grooving on the dancefloor.
According to Sherman, he originally created the track during lockdown, experimenting with different sounds before he decided to temporarily table it. He says this is sometimes what producers want to do because they can return to the track with “fresh ears.” Later, he sent the song to Diaz for feedback and to see if he had heard something Sherman didn’t hear in it.
“Sometimes the most fun part about collaborating, for me, is when you might think a track is finished, but you send it to somebody else who says, ‘I know exactly what to do to take this from an A to an A+, or even above 100%,” Sherman says. “If you know Chris and I in our music, you can hear a perfect 50/50 fusion of our styles. Chris is really melodic, and you can hear that with some of the chords and the synths that he used. I’m definitely a lot more focused on percussion in the groove, with my house music roots here. We both love getting the crowd hyped up, so the vocals are ‘Put your hands up in the air.’ We played it live actually in Amsterdam together recently, and that was awesome because the crowd reacted how we thought they might, which was with a standing ovation.”
“Standing Ovation” is released via Candy Flip Records. The imprint is a well-respected international label with noteworthy influence in South America and Europe. Sherm adds that the track not only has U.S. sounds but also international styles because of the different instruments the two artists used. In addition, the single embodies the Chicago underground tech house sound that he is known for, as the tune fuses his sound with Diaz’s, both of which are part of Chicago’s history as well as what’s currently popular in the city.
Sherman frequently honors his Chicago roots beyond just doing so with “Standing Ovation.” The sound designer has been living in The Windy City for eight years, notably six blocks away from The Warehouse. This venue is worth mentioning as Frankie Knuckles, also known as the “Godfather of House Music,” had a residency at the iconic club. Sherm says he has heard house songs over the years that have been impactful for him, providing him with an experiential feeling. House music classics, he says, create a sense of nostalgia for the early days of when it was created. He aims to create music that “can take you anywhere you want to go,” providing an experience for his listeners and the audience. Having cut his teeth in the famed Illinois city, performing anything from six-hour open-to-close sets to spinning for 5,000 people as an opener for Armin van Buuren, his music stays true to the city that helped define his style.
“I always pay homage to Chicago, certainly within my sound,” Sherman says. “Now, the sound has developed a lot since those days in the ‘80s, but when I think about, not necessarily the sonic identity of house music but more so the message and the feeling and the energy associated with my music, you can close your eyes, and you can go to any place that you want.”
Sherm moderating a panel on tech house in the United States at ADE is impressive, particularly … [+] because it is an international event.
The song selector continually pushes himself to learn more about dance music by speaking with other influential artists on his Sherm in the Booth podcast. He has hosted the show for over seven years, boasting more than 200 episodes. Sherm in the Booth was initially founded so he could network with other Chicago deejays, learn more about music and their creative processes, allowing him to form his own network in the scene. He later began interviewing larger artists, particularly during lockdown because the pandemic caused a pause on touring. So, he took bigger shots, even speaking with producers such as Westend, CID, HoneyLuv and Max Styler, all of whom he says are “absolutely killing it right now.” He says he chooses his guests based on those he is interested in learning from, whether it be because he’s a fan of their music, their message, their brand or who they are as a person outside of music. While he has certainly interviewed impressive names, he notes that the podcast has “never been a matter of how big you are or how many plays we can get on YouTube.” To him, what’s important is building a one-on-one connection that resonates with him, allowing him to have become friends with many of his guests.
“I make sure that what we’re talking about is really getting into the details, and it’s not so top level because I’m an artist myself always looking to grow,” Sherman says. “I’m also a person who’s just genuinely interested in the music industry and the ins and outs of it. I kind of almost have an out-of-body experience. If I’m listening to this [podcast], what do I want to make sure that I’m getting out of it?”
The beatmaker hosted a panel and showcase at ADE this year dubbed “The US Tech/House Scene: What’s In It for You?” Tech house is a subgenre of house music that combines techno and house elements by using melodic synths, vocal hooks, steady beats and driving basslines. Fisher, John Summit, Solardo and Green Velvet are just a few examples of where tech house is today. The panel—moderated by Sherman and featuring Kaysin, DJ Susan and Carissa Szlosek as speakers—delved into how to start a relationship with U.S. labels, how to develop a fanbase, organize successful events and grow profitable relationships with the U.S. The main focus of the discussion focused on how foreign labels and artists can break into the booming North American tech/house market.
“Some of the biggest takeaways were about how to actually get gigs in the United States, how to release on labels and how to build relationships,” Sherman says. “I wanted to make sure that people were going to walk away with real tangible insight and next steps on how to make it in the U.S. and how it is in the tech house market.”
Additionally, Sherman is also credited by many local deejays for helping give them opportunities at prestigious clubs and spotlighting them on Hood Politics, where he does A&R. The artist says he likes “to give back” to the scene and “pay it forward” as people helped him when he first started his music career. Some of the ways he assists burgeoning artists are by talking with them on the phone, doing something as simple as having a beer with them, providing them with advice on their branding and connecting them with people who may be able to help them and vice versa.
“I started somewhere, just like a lot of these artists did, and I have a long way to go, but there were a lot of people who paved the road for me, gave me good advice and gave me opportunities. I’ve been lucky enough to be put in positions where I do have a platform, either through the podcast or to get someone booked or to sign them on Hood Politics, all things which have really grown as I’ve grown,” he says. “[It’s] really important to me to usher in the next generation.”
Indeed, Sherman has submerged himself in the scene, positioning himself as one of the influential pillars of dance music. But at the core of it all is one of the key words one can use to describe his sound: unapologetic.
“When I became an artist about nine years ago and started making my own music and playing shows, I realized that there’s only one Sherm. So that’s why I go by Sherm,” he says. “I don’t have any moniker or mask or anything. I am the person that you know as an artist and as a person, and it really overlaps. That’s my motivation because I believe that’s what takes you the distance. If you love what you do, you are who you are and you have fun no matter what, then that’ll last the rest of your life. But if you try and be something that you’re not, there’s a timeline for that.”

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