New Skin
Shedio, 2021
8/10
The always impressive UK artist Scott Matthews returns with a 7th studio album, where he brings the spirit of Eno, Yorke and Springsteen across 10 tunes that embrace electronica, minimalism, melody and groove into his always shifting formula.
Matthews starts the listen with the atmospheric and electronic title track, where vocals are initially used like an instrument in a hazy, ambient climate, and “Wait In The Car” follows with a more straight forward indie-rock approach, where warm guitar, precise drumming and a gentle buzzing complement Matthews’ soothing pipes.
In the middle, “The Tide” glides with much beauty as the expressive singing and dreamy delivery of ‘80s friendly synth won’t go unnoticed, while “Morning” emits a poetic display of gorgeous textures amid minimal moments. “Autopilot”, another excellent track, then recruits a soulful quality alongside calm electronica and much poise in a very intriguing landscape.
Near to the end, “Intruders On Earth” is a bare offering of folk ideas mixed alongside much creativity, and “The Light” exits the listen shimmering in a meticulous execution of picked guitar, vibrant synth and, of course, Matthews’ inimitable vocals.
An incredibly consistent songwriter, Matthews shows us another dimension of his many talents, and it’s yet another impressive chapter in a glowing body of work that deserves a very in depth and focused examination.
Travels well with: Josh Rouse- The Holiday Sounds Of Josh Rouse; Greg Laswell- Landline