Sophomore Matthew Barri releases extended play

People may have heard about Cynocy’s
extended play (EP) from an Eye of the
Panther cameo or various Instagram posts
from Peninsula students, but most know it
as the work of sophomore Matthew Barri.
As Cynocy, Barri works as a producer,
songwriter and disk jockey (DJ). On Jan. 27,
Barri released his first EP, titled “You’re the
Reason for this EP.”
Barri has been immersed in music from a
very young age. He began playing the violin
at the age of four and then went on to learn
the guitar, drums and bass. In addition to
many popular DJs and producers, Barri finds
inspiration from family members who were
also involved with the music industry.
“My grandfather, Steve Barri, was a big
music producer who recorded with some
pretty amazing acts like the Mamas and
Papas, Steppenwolf and Steely Dan,” Barri
said. “[Being related to him] is like that
feeling when you get a famous person’s
autograph.”
Barri has taken many music courses at
a number of colleges. Some of Barri’s most
memorable classes include a contemporary
jazz camp at the University of Oregon, a
course at Coast Music Conservatory and a
course at the University of the Pacific, where
he won producer of the year. This year, Barri
is taking Advanced Placement (AP) Music
Theory at Peninsula. Choir director and AP
Music Theory teacher Dan Doctor notes
Barri’s enthusiasm and dedication to music.
“I think [Barri] is a great student,” Doctor
said. “I know he is passionate about making
music and is genuinely interested in learning
as much as he can about the fundamentals of
music theory. I am sure he would love to have
a career performing his music.”
Work on “You’re the Reason for this EP”
began last July. Barri’s EP contains four songs
all that fall under the electronic dance music
(EDM) genre. Barri’s music includes many of
the subcategories of EDM such as dubstep and
chill. He has trouble categorizing his music, as
his style is still developing.
Barri had originally intended his stage name
to be Cyno, referring to the fictional Pokemon
city Sinnoh, but he later decided on the name
Cynocy after realizing the Instagram username
Cyno was already taken. Determined to
promote his EP, Barri enlisted his friends to
promote him, under the name Cynocy, on
social media. Additionally, he has been holding
giveaways, offering sweatshirts and T-shirts
with his logo to those who post for him.
“I have been bombarding all of social media
and making people post with the hashtag
Cynocy,” Barri said. “There is also just word
of mouth. I hear that people are talking about
my music.”
In preparations for a future music career,
Barri has been sending out demos to record
labels as producing his own music is a timeconsuming
and somewhat stressful process.
Barri also hopes to be able to work as a DJ
more; specifically, he hopes to be hired to play
on Teen Night at the Palos Verdes Fair.
Barri’s friend and past bandmate
sophomore Orion Askinosie is impressed
with Barri’s accomplishments.
“I think it is pretty amazing that a
sophomore in high school has an EP out,”
Askinosie said. “It is pretty cool to see your
friend is doing something that makes him
happy. [I hope he is] happy [with] whatever he
pursues in his music career.”