Mick Harris of Scorn/Napalm Death and Teho Teardo combine forces for this debut album for a project they call Matera. From just a short listen it seems that Matera combines the best elements of both into quite a unique listening experience. Mick focuses on the stark minimalism of sound that he uses so well in Scorn to build the base material on each track while Teho adds subtle textures that fill in the cracks. Mr. Teardo also lends rap-chant vocal style to most of the tracks which seem to breathe even more intrigue into this darkly ambient dub record. For the most part the album is very subdued and laid back, giving the listener a chance to fully appreciate all of the complex programming. However a few off the songs shed their intricate skin in favor of more mercurial rhythms. The two most impressive items about this release are the three remixes tacked onto the end of the album which are so reworked from the originals that they are completely different songs and the album artwork which was designed by Teho Teardo himself. In conclusion, if you find yourself enjoying Scorn then you'll definitely spend some quality listening time with Matera.

Teho Teardo - voice, sounds

Mick Harris, drums, sounds