Matt Bartram - Left to Memory

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4...according to our Brett on Thu 29 Oct, 2009.

Time for some classic shoegaze sounds! Air Formation's Matt Bartram has a new solo venture called Left to Memory and, barring the odd little telltale production sign, it'd be a really hard one to date if you were listening to it blind. Some of these tracks could very easily have belonged to the very first wave of bands inspired by Spacemen 3 (particularly the ones with an organ droning away) or The Jesus and Mary Chain (as with the second tune, which is a total dead ringer) back in the mid-late 80s. He's certainly got songwriting chops to spare as even when his words are buried underneath a load of hazy ambient feedback they do still cut through and leave an impression. Good stuff on Drifting Falling.

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Over the past nine years with his band Air Formation, Matt Bartram has proven to be one of the most prolific, consistent and respected songwriters of the next wave of shoegaze. Not one to sit still, always feeling the need to keep moving forward, Matt has also released music as The Static Silence (a collaboration with Rachel Goldstar: Experimental Aircraft, Eau Claire & All In The Golden Afternoon). In addition Matt has spent the last few years recording more experimental excursions at home on his eight track. These recordings generally spawn from improvisations based around simple rhythms and drone. His aim is to create hypnotic, mesmerising and uplifting tracks which reflect a more ambient feel. Matt Bartram's highly regarded debut solo album 'Arundel', was released in March 2008 by Drifting Falling. The follow up 'Left to Memory' features some of Bartram’s most compelling work to date, solo or otherwise, and displays a jaw-dropping mastery of texture, melody and drive. For this latest outing Bartram also brought in his mate Christian Savill (Slowdive / Monster Movie) to help drive the point home. For fans of Air Formation, Flying Saucer Attack, Mahogany, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Spacemen 3.

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