about the cassette

Uncleared is a 29-track instrumental beat tape created by Matthewdavid with a “back-to-basics” approach to beat-making. This tape began as a creative exercise to return to the music that shaped his identity. In Q3/Q4 of 2023, Matthewdavid adopted a “one 4-bar loop a day” regimen to keep output flowing, and this practice was entirely effective in churning out beats during self-imposed downtime while balancing a record label and family life. A goal was set to produce and release 40 new beats by age 40.

Matthewdavid found an almost entirely sample-based production flow in Ableton, referencing an ongoing list of material to sample and chop as the foundation for each track. The timeless All The Breaks folder was used for drums, and tracks were completed with a synth bass line quickly dialed in and played by hand using a borrowed Teebs' old M-Audio MIDI keyboard. Most of these beats consist of under 10 stems, a drastic change from previous projects where stems often exceeded 50.