theWhen is artist/producer/songwriter, Matthew Kourie’s creative outlet, a platform where he blends synth pop and dance beats with a solid rock/pop foundation. The premise is conceptual for Kourie, as theWhen is currently taking the form of music, it has other implications of fantasy storylines from the philosophical content ingrained into the guts of the concept. Dark synth-tronics and blazing guitars paint the audio landscape of his imaginary world, with a seamless stitching of various influences, from 80's film nostalgia, modern industrial beats, 90's alternative rock and addictive vocal melodies that span popular genres from several decades. As a writer, Kourie brings forth lyrical themes such as loss of love in relationships and turning grief into empowerment, creating rapport and pacing the audience into an exciting adventure of enlightenment, self-discovery and transformation. All this while bringing a unique perspective to the melodic themes and hypnotic rhythms that have been a mainstay in popular culture throughout our time.

Matthew Kourie is a child of the 80s, with a great love for the iconic movies, TV shows, characters and music of the decade. His involvement in music was sparked at a young age by an adoration for his multi-instrumentalist and Big Band leader grandfather, Ben Filippone, a love for Charlie Chaplin and the obsessive use of his mother's boombox recorder. As a child, he recorded countless character voices, jingles, videos and on the spot songs with his three brothers. Kourie grew up studying and playing guitar, training and sharpening his skills on the instrument to ultimately begin composing his own original music. Honing his vocal skills while playing in numerous bands on Long Island, Kourie added other instruments to his arsenal including bass, drums and piano.

Former member and songwriter of Long Island metal core/hard rock band R22, Kourie has remained busy since departing from the group in 2000. That same year he released the very first recordings of theWhen, theWhen (project). In the years since, he studied audio and film production, giving him the ability to come into his own as a producer. He has worked as a voice-over actor, producer and composer for numerous multi-genre pieces for independent film and advertising, in addition to composing over 100 original songs for clients, and his own original projects including authentic classic rock outfit, The Fools of Perception.

In 2012, The Dept Records released the remastered version of theWhen (project) to breathe life into the visionary project as well as the new single, "The Wishing Well" (June 2013), while Kourie continues work on a full-length release due out later this year.