Photo by Caleb Kuhl

This feature originally appeared in the November issue of AUX Magazine. Download and subscribe for free for iPhone and iPad in the App Store.

The reigning king and queen of ultimate drum-and-keyboard party jams, Matt and Kim have made a career out of appearing to have the best time, all the time. Here’s the thing – they really are. To simultaneously brag and prove a point, I once hung out with them in a non-professional capacity and they really are jubilant, loud, charming people who have found a way to translate their personal enthusiasm for playing music together into a fetching spectacle of catchy hooks and ’90s hip-hop samples.

Their latest, Lightning, finds the band returning to the self-produced minimalism of their sophomore break-out, Grand. Having progressed further into the world of massive pop production on their last outing, Sidewalks, the band has dialled things way, way back for some of the best material since the twinkling keyboard of “Daylight” first captured all of our hearts, forever and ever and ever.

Matt & Kim’s roots are firmly in the DIY punk scene, a culture of basement shows and occasionally irresponsible behaviour. But no matter how big you get, there are problems that will follow you to the end – our interview with the band came the day after a near-disaster in Syracuse, New York, only a few days after the official release of Lightning. Then, the Toronto show was cut short when, no joke, lightning struck at the tail-end of their set and tripped a breaker. Seriously. Lightning.

After working with Gnarls Barkley producer Ben Allen on Sidewalks, an album bolstered by the bells and whistles of big-time hip-hop production, Matt & Kim sought to reclaim the raw personality of Grand.

The pair are eager to drive home the idea of simplicity, highlighting their desire to keep the songs as immediate as possible. As Matt notes, the bigger the production, the harder it can become to connect to a piece of music

Despite the out-and-out joy of their music, Matt & Kim are actual normal humans with emotions that differ from “ecstatic celebration of life.” As the popularity of the band has grown, so have the challenges they face in maintaining their sanity, and using the band as an outlet for their frustrations as much as their, you know, happy-sounding keyboard hooks.

As they discuss the emotional nuances of the material on Lightning, Kim makes an off-handed comment that they could never, ever have a love song. Being a couple, it seems like it might be too twee and obvious – but we still had to ask why they have drawn a line in the love-sand.