Welcome aboard Sydneys Black Wattle label, headed up by Analogue Attic artist Thomas Gray. They join us with their third release: a superb outing from Matthew Hayes of beautifully crafted, melodic deep house.
Melbourne based jazz musician Matthew Hayes began releasing his take on contemporary music via Albrecht La'Brooy's Analogue Attic imprint in 2017 and has since gone on to release an array of material both as a solo act, a number of collaborations and as part of the Zeitgeist Freedom Exchange project.
Here though we see Hayes joining the roster of Black Wattle, a Sydney based imprint headed up by Thomas Gray, one half of the Thomas Gray & Liam Ebbs duo who individually released material on the label, as well as the Analogue Attic imprint collaboratively.
Opening the release is 'Absolutely Everybody', fuelled by looming piano chords, plucked bass tones, sporadic brass licks and shuffled drums.
'Clear' follows next, laying focus on hazy vocal chants, cinematic piano and sax atmospherics and a choppy bass line throughout.
On the flip-side 'Head Pressure' leads, a beatless eight minute composition employing modulating textures, metallic percussion and dynamically unfolding melodies of piano, brass and bass all ebbing and flowing amongst one another.
'Landcare' then wraps up the project, retaining a similarly modern classical and jazz leaning aesthetic as wind instruments, wandering bass notes, airy atmospherics and fluttering piano keys flow in unison throughout.