MATTE BLVCK is back with hauntingly tribal sounds

Matte Blvck the band may be new on the scene, but this isn’t the band members’ first rodeo. They’ve played in other bands over the years, even sharing the stage with legends like Stone Temple Pilots, Phantogram, The Cult, and Alice Glass. But during the heart of the pandemic, they solidified Matte Blvck with the release of their debut album, I’m Waving, Not Drowning, in 2020. The band sold out their first show and have been selling out every show since. Considered a soundtrack for our last night on earth, the band is looking past the apocalypse and gearing up for a new album and US tour!
The first single for this next phase of Matte Blvck is “Midnight & Angel”- the band’s first post-pandemic work. Mixed by Aaron Short (The Naked and Famous, So Below), he helped Matte Blvck push their sonic foundation into new and dark territories.
“Midnight & Angel” opens with a tribalistic beat that morphs into a hauntingly danceable track. As the synths pulse and industrial sounds hearken their call, you are instantly transported to foggy underground warehouse show. The smooth vocals compliment the power and emphasis behind the beat and synth flourishes.
As bandmember Alex Gonzales details:
A song birthed from drums and percussions. It’s a rare occasion that I walk into the studio with the arrangement in mind, it feels as if the song was already stored in my subconscious. We breezed right through this song; you can hear it if you begin to peel the layers off. “Midnight & Angel” couldn’t have come at a better time, we were all facing adversity in our lives.
Previous Press
“Definitely a band to keep an eye on… [This album is] something for the new goth kids to listen to that
actually sounds goth.” -Alexander Void
“The track … is made up of dark melodies, a haunting vocal and a confident, fast-paced beat.”- PopWrapped
“Monumental” [is] a dark industrial-synth-pop track sonically resembling the melodies found on Depeche Mode’s 1997 album Ultra. -Post-Punk.com
Matte Blvck is comprised of the trio Alex Gonzales, Bidi Cobra, and Daniel Corrales. Bringing their own influences to the table, there is no denying their ties to the unexplored corners of San Diego’s underground scene. They’re here to forge sinister sonic pleasures during these unprecedented times. Years of playing together in other bands has allowed Matte Blvck to build a unique chemistry and successfully build off the old to create something new.
Their debut LP, I’m Waving, Not Drowning, captures the band’s affinity for dark synthwave and underground techno, complementing it with epic, gritty, and industrial anthems. But even with heavy and haunting vibes, Matte Blvck keeps a string of optimism in tow. The album represents a new beginning, the light at the end of the tunnel.
That light is fast approaching as Matte Blvck gear up for a US tour and a slew of new music. They are ready to showcase their brand of dynamic and mechanically-tinged dance music, which leaves the listener in a heavy, euphoric haze.
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