Sparse and contemplative, South London's own Mat Gibson ushers in comparisons to Springsteen's 'Nebraska', Jim James of My Morning Jacket and 'Being There' era Wilco. Built around a lead vocal and acoustic guitar, instrumentation is minimal. Percussion is often just a floor tom and a tambourine whilst flashes of piano, harmonica, glockenspiel and slide guitar accent Mat's doubled or harmonised vocals and flat-picked guitar.

Both haunting and challenging, Mat's subtle and evocative lyrics probe complex contemporary themes with a deft, metaphorical approach. Managing to blur the divisions between past and present, Mat's soul-searching prose is as much an exercise in self-questioning as a hint to larger, far-reaching socio-political questions all rounded off with a touch of black comedy and satire.

Mat's forthcoming album 'Forest Fire' was recorded with Rowland Prytherch (Danny & The Champions of the World, The Epstein) at Truck Studios, Oxfordshire and is due for release in 2011 on Clubhouse Records.

Built around a live vocal and acoustic guitar performance with minimal overdubs (done mostly by Mat himself), 'Forest Fire' is a new direction musically and an insight into Mat’s vision and versatility.

Welcoming in the new year with a solo performance at the Equi-Truck festival at Oxford’s O2 Academy, Mat is showing great promise for things to come.