Matmos, the electronic duo whose catalog includes albums made of sampled washing machines and medical procedures, have unveiled their latest gambit: a new album composed entirely of metal object sounds. Metallic Life Review combines the sounds of pots and pans, creaking cemetery gates, metal tape-deck reels, aluminum cans, and many other metals recorded throughout the duo’s history and back to Drew Daniel and M.C. Schmidt’s childhoods. A single, “Changing States,” is dedicated to the late Susan Alcorn, who plays pedal steel on the track. Out June 20 via Thrill Jockey, the album precedes a tour, including a show at New York’s Knockdown Center. Find the dates below.
Other guests on the LP include Owen Gardner, Swans’ Thor Harris, Half Japanese’s Jason Willett, and Jeff Carey. For the first time ever on record, Matmos recorded some of the album—namely the second half—live in the studio. Daniel noted in a press release, “We have the sounds of plucking the metallic gates around a tomb recorded in an underground crypt, the sound of cemetery gates, and the death of Susan Alcorn and the death of David Lynch occurred as we completed the album. We had already mixed the music with Susan before she passed, and we dedicate ‘Changing States’ to her. David Lynch’s way of being an American artist was inspiring to us and we dedicated ‘The Chrome Reflects Our Image’ to him.”
Metallic Life Review follows 2023’s Return to Archive and Drew Daniel’s 2022 album as the Soft Pink Truth, Is It Going to Get Any Deeper Than This?
All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Metallic Life Review:
01 Norway Doorway02 The Rust Belt03 Changing States04 Steel Tongues05 The Chrome Reflects Our Image06 Metallic Life Review
Matmos:
05-23 Wiltshire, England – Acid Horse Festival05-25 Glasgow, Scotland – Baked Beans on the Doorstep05-28 Berlin, Germany – Silent Green05-30 Pordenone, Italy – Astro Club06-01 Fano, Italy – Bagli Elsa06-02 Roma, Italy – Monk06-04 Genova, Italy – Giardino di Mentelacole06-06 Milano, Italy – Museo della scienza06-07 Bologna, Italy – DumBo06-12 Vienna, Austria – Flucc06-14 London, England – Rio Cinema06-21 Queens, New York – Knockdown Center06-25 Philadelphia, PA – Solar Myth06-29 Chicago, IL – Constellation07-03 Louisville, KY – Art Sanctuary07-08 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall07-11 Los Angeles, CA – 2220 Arts07-16 Portland, OR – Holocene08-30 Washington, D.C. – Black Cat11-22-28 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain – Espacio Cultural el Tanque / Keroxen Festival
