In the span of a few years, Texas-born, Detroit-based Matthew Dear has established himself as one of America's foremost minimal techno producers. Dear and Ghostly International founder Sam Valenti IV met while the two were attending the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. In 1999, Dear collaborated with ghettotech pioneer Daisha on Ghostly's inaugural 12", "Hands Up for Detroit." In 2001 he released "Irreparably Dented," his debut 12" on Ghostly International's more dancefloor-oriented Spectral Sound subsidiary. The "Stealing Moves" 12" followed in 2002. That same year, Dear signed a deal with legendary Canadian techno producer Richie Hawtin's influential Plus 8 label, where he released three 12" singles as False. In 2003, he released the "Girlfriend" 12" on Berlin's Perlon as Jabberjaw. Two more releases on Spectral Sound under his own name followed later that year, "EP1" and "EP2." In late 2003, he issued his debut full-length on Spectral, "Leave Luck To Heaven," to wide acclaim. The "Backstroke" EP followed in 2004. Dear's 2007 full-length, "Asa Breed," found him working with a more song-based and pop-inclined sound.

Dear has also released several works through Spectral as his dirty-minded hard-techno alter ego, Audion. The "Kisses" EP was his first release under the Audion moniker in 2004; two more EPs, 2004's "The Pong" and 2005's "Just Fucking" followed. Songs collected from these EPs and new material appeared on Audion's debut full-length, "Suckfish" in October 2005. Audion produced a mix for the well-regarded FABRIC series in 2006; later that year he collaborated with Berliner Ellen Allien on a split single.