I reviewed the second album from New York production duo Beacon for Clash. ‘Escapements’ is a fragile, brilliant example of electronic pop subjected to brutal levels of reductionism. ‘Escapements’ is released on Ghostly International, an imprint that is fast becoming my new favourite record label.
You can read my review here.
(c) 2016 Mat Smith / Clash
I wrote this feature for Clash which seeks to look beyond New Order‘s most celebrated tracks and showcase some of the more interesting moments in the band’s back catalogue.
You can read the piece here.
(c) 2015 Mat Smith / Clash
In 2013 I reviewed Vicissitude by Maps for Clash, which turned out to be my favourite album of that year. My review can be found here.
It is one of the few albums in recent years where, when I listen back, I still 100% agree with the high score that I gave it. Others that I won’t mention haven’t lasted the test of time, but this one has. I revisit the album every so often and it still stirs something up in me that I can’t fully identify, some strange cocktail of optimism and melancholia that appeals to my outlook on the world as I approach my forties.
James Chapman‘s third album had such a profound impact on me that I was inspired to write a very short piece of fiction loosely related to the track ‘A.M.A.’. I’ve written short fiction before, but never one inspired – however obliquely – by a song. You can read and download ‘A.M.A.’ below.
A.M.A. (inspired by Maps) by MJA Smith
My other short stories are no longer online. If you desperately want to read them, please get in touch.
(c) 2013 Mat Smith / Documentary Evidence
I haven’t updated Documentary Evidence for a while but that’s not because I haven’t been busy with other writings.
The latest edition of Electronic Sound for iPad is now available. This issue features my reviews of Erasure‘s excellent album The Violet Flame, Olivia Louvel‘s mesmerising Beauty Sleep (featuring one track based around a sample of Recoil‘s ‘Stone’) and a major interview with Simian Mobile Disco about their new ambient album Whorl.
Issue 8 also includes a feature on the fortieth anniversary of Kraftwerk‘s ‘Autobahn’, which includes input from Mute‘s own Daniel Miller.
To read more go to the Electronic Sound website.
Just lately I’ve found myself spending some time at the Milton Keynes concert venue that’s literally on the doorstep of the village in which I live (The Stables) and in the last month I’ve reviewed three gigs at the venue. This marks something of a tentative return to reviewing gigs after a long break. The first was something pretty special for me – Nik Kershaw, whose solo acoustic show I reviewed for This Is Not Retro. Kershaw’s music was what I grew up with and Human Racing, his first album, was the first album I ever owned. My review for that concert, with photos from the Worthing gig on the same tour by my good friend and talented photographer Andy Sturmey can be found here.
I’ve also written two pieces for a local Milton Keynes site – TotalMK – of my other two recent Stables gigs. Dylan Howe’s Subterraneans found the jazz drummer performing pieces from Subterraneans, which sees his band work through jazz versions of tracks from David Bowie’s Berlin period. Howe is a hugely talented drummer who has worked with many different acts in the jazz and rock world, including Nick Cave, for whom he drummed on songs to the soundtrack for I Am Sam with The Blockheads. The other Stables gig was Tom Baxter, well known for getting picked by movie and TV producers when a stirring song is ever required for a soundtrack.
As well as that little lot, you’ll continue to find my reviews in Clash each month – the latest issue includes a piece of mine on the latest Thurston Moore album, which is more than likely the closest we’re going to get to a classic Sonic Youth LP anytime soon.
(c) 2014 Mat Smith / Documentary Evidence
Documentary Evidence 