Matthew Collings

Online

Edinburgh composer Matthew Collings is pleased to announce the release of the free download a-side, They Meet on the Subway, and b-side, 'It was a Hungry Summer'.

They Meet on the Subway is taken from the album Splintered Instruments, released earlier this year via Fluid Audio Recordings, and follows on from the most recent download track,Vasilia. They Meet on the Subway immediately creates a sense of unease as the oppressive soundscapes grind monotonously - further skewed by Collings' distant, distressed vocals. The track ominously builds as industrial like soundscapes fluctuate, before being set free by a wall of distorted guitar as They Meet on the Subway comes to an intense climax.

Splintered Instruments is Matthew’s first solo project having previously performed under the name Sketches for Albinos. Here Matthew takes inspiration from the likes of Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Public Service Broadcasting, Autechre and Bedroom Community Record Label to create a sound exploring abrasive soundscapes of noise combined with atmospheric, ethereal beauty akin to Sigur Ros and God Speed You! Black Emperor. The album exhibits Matthew’s eclectic influences as well as his unerring ability to construct a sense of diversity throughout - highlighted by the crisp, clean ‘Routine’, and juxtaposed by the mass turbulence of ‘They Meet on the Subway’.

The album features a raft of special guests ranging from Helgi Hrafn Jonsson (a member of Sigur Ros’s backing band), Frank Aarnick (Icelandic Philharmonic Orchestra) and Ben Frost (Bedroom Community) - who also engineered and produced the album.

Having picked up support from the likes of The List earlier this year, Matthew is keen to maintain the momentum gained from his first self-titled project. The release of Vasilia will kickstart a busy second half of the year for Matthew with a single to follow in August, a planned tour of Europe this winter, commencing work on a follow up record as well as continuing to create sonic art projects such as the Erik Parr collaboration, The Third Mind.

They Meet on the Subway and the b-side 'It was a Hungry Summer' are free to download from the ABoF Soundcloud page and Splintered Instruments is out now via Fluid Audio Recordings with press packs available on request.