Matmos
Drew Daniel, Electronics
M.C. Schmidt, Electronics
The Matmos duo formed in San Francisco during the mid-1990s and self-released its debut
album in 1997. Marrying the conceptual tactics and noisy textures of object-based
musique concrète to a rhythmic matrix rooted in electronic pop music, Matmos
quickly became known for its highly unusual sound sources: amplified crayfish nerve tissue,
the pages of bibles turning, water hitting copper plates, liposuction surgery, cameras and
VCRs, chin implant surgery, contact microphones on human hair, rat cages, tanks of helium,
a cow uterus, human skulls, snails, cigarettes, cards shuffling, laser eye surgery, whoopee
cushions, balloons, latex fetish clothing, rhinestones, Polish trains, insects,
life-support systems, inflatable blankets, rock salt, solid gold coins, the sound of a
frozen stream thawing in the sun, and a five-gallon bucket of oatmeal. These raw materials
are manipulated into surprisingly accessible forms, and often supplemented by traditional
musical instruments played by the duo's large circle of friends and collaborators.
Since their debut, Matmos has released over 11 albums, including Quasi-Objects,
The West, A Chance to Cut Is a Chance to Cure, The Civil War,
and The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast. In 2001, Matmos was asked to
collaborate with Icelandic singer Björk on her Vespertine album, and subsequently
embarked on two world tours as part of her band. In addition to musical collaborations with
such artists and ensembles as Sō Percussion, Terry Riley, Kronos Quartet, Leprechaun
Catering, Antony Hegarty, Marshall Allen, David Tibet, David Serotte, the Rachel's, Zeena
Parkins, and the Princeton Laptop Orchestra, Matmos has also worked with a wide range of
artists across disciplines, from visual artist Daria Martin (on the soundtrack to her film
Minotaur) to playwright Young Jean Lee (for her play The Appeal) to a new
project with Berlin-based choreographer Ayman Harper.