Returning artist Pixelh8 will close Ipswich Music Day

Matthew Applegate, AKA Pixelh8, delighted fans when he made a surprise return to his music career in November after a hiatus of more than a decade.

To most people in the town, Mr Applegate, 47, was known as the founder of the Creative Computing Club, based in London Road, where he teaches technology skills to young people.

Before then, Mr Applegate had a flourishing career making music under the name Pixelh8 during the mid-2000s.

Pixelh8 at Assembly Finland 2008, playing to millions of fans on live TV across Europe . Image: Emma Mordue (Image: Emma Mordue) Pixelh8 at Maida Vale in December 2008. Image: Emma Mordue (Image: Emma Mordue)

Mr Applegate described himself as a ‘chip tune artist’, having discovered as a child that he could make music from the electronic sounds made by computer chips. This eclectic style of music won him fans all over the world, and he worked on a number of exciting projects, including using the code-breaking Colossus computer at Bletchley Park.

Disaster struck when lightning hit Mr Applegate’s house in 2011, “frying” his computer, which he took as a sign that his music career was not meant to be.

In November, Mr Applegate came across his old hard drive. After repairing it and revisiting his unfinished fourth album, he decided it was time to return to the music scene.

Matthew Applegate decided that it was time to return to music after 12 years last November. Image: Kezia Tan (Image: Kezia Tan) After recovering his unfinished album Hard Reset, Matthew decided it was time to share this music with the world at last. Image: Matthew C Applegate (Image: Matthew C Applegate)

Now, Mr Applegate has completed the album, ‘Hard Reset’, which has been nominated for a Mercury Prize.

“It’s been quite a big success in America, a lot of college radio stations have been steaming it, and critics like it,” he said.

Mr Applegate is also excited to be playing live later this week, closing Ipswich Music Day at the Pond Stage on Sunday.

“I think this is the best gig I ever get to play,” said Mr Applegate. “It’s for a home crowd, it’s free, and it’s so varied.

“There are a lot of great people in Ipswich organising things, like Joe Bailey with the Smokehouse. I really wish I had those kinds of venues to play at when I was younger.”

Mr Applegate said that in the future, there is a possibility of him playing at gigs in America, Japan and Europe – but that he was pleased to be playing to crowds in his hometown this weekend.