Matmos - 'Supreme Balloon' (Matador) Released 05/05/08

To fully comprehend the experimental madness at the heart of Matmos we should consider the following: In their recordings and live performances over the last nine years, the San Francisco duo have, amongst many other oddities used the sounds of amplified crayfish nerve tissue, the pages of bibles turning, slowed down whistles and kisses, Polish trains, liposuction surgery, contact microphones on human hair, records chosen by the roll of dice, rat cages, tanks of helium, human skulls and field recordings of conversations in hot tubs to augment their electronic soundscapes. Wow! It isn’t exactly 3 chords and the truth is it? Gold stars for work in the field of redefining electronica though.  

So, while you’re busy attempting to digest such an impressive list of pure human wierdness, you can just as swiftly forget about it, as on ‘Supreme Balloon’ they leave such sonic experiments behind, albeit to create a record constructed entirely out of various synthesiser sounds. Thomas Dolby would no doubt be extremely proud but those looking for visceral rock and roll thrills may have a struggle on their hands.

However, those looking for a playful, squelchy montage of rhythmic electronica won’t be disappointed. The album takes us on a journey all the way from Aphex Twin (minus the powertools and sandpaper) to Philip Glass minimalism and beyond. Thankfully, it rarely feels like a sterile, academic exercise and the Bjork affiliated duo clearly haven’t forgotten that at the heart of all great electronic music is the ability to provoke an emotional response that reaches beyond the employment of lyrical cliches and guitar hero solos. 

One minute it sounds like a crazy carnival soundtrack (see ‘Mister Mouth’), something approximating Battles getting robbed of their guitars and being forced at gunpoint to conduct an orchestra consisting of synths and nothing else. The album then shifts gear entirely to resemble an early soundtrack to a Nintendo game, a small but perfectly formed symphony of bleeps and melody (Les Folies Francaises). 

This approach culminates on the sublime and climatic title track, which feels like it lasts longer than your average acid trip (it is actually 24 minutes). Given this kind of space, they create an epic journey that is never predictable and constantly engaging, no small achievement considering its ambitious scope. By the end you’ll be applauding its lunacy but also perhaps crying out for some vocal intervention.    

It will be interesting to see where their restless creative impulses take them next. For now, they’ve rolled a double six and built the most interesting of structures using only synthesisers and unfiltered imagination.