MATTHEW HERBERT
Score
K7
· A patchwork collection of the avant-garde-groove poster boy’s compositions for stage and screen.
Through his many guises (Dr. Rockit, Wishmountain and the semi-eponymous Herbert) Matthew Herbert has proven to be one of the most versatile and adventurous artists on the post-’80s electronic music scene. Having never sunk too far into seriousness, his playful nature and adeptness at pulling a sweet melody out of a curious chaos has assembled a legion of diehard fans over the past decade, ensuring enough of an audience to purchase any product with his name(s) on it.
Not to say that Score is a cynical stab at cashing in on one of the hippest names out there today. It’s more a testament to the man’s skills that there is a market hungry enough for esoteric scraps from his banquet table such as these. Most of the 17 pieces come from a half-dozen projects. They clock in around the two-minute mark and display an admirable array of atmospheric musical sensibilities from French torch songs and Esquivel-style exotica to Debussian lullabies and ambient electronica.
There are a few stand-outs such as the big-band swing of "Rivoli," where the muted trumpet and sax interplay with an escalating brass section vamp would make the Duke proud. "Rendezvous" is 10 minutes of spooky electro-acoustic etherealism composed for the Bonachela Dance Company. His irrepressible sense of humour does comes out swingin’ in the catchy ’60s bachelor-pad style track "Running from the Credits," replete with all manner of silly syncopation including belches and, um, anal-ogue squelches. However, unless you’re a huge fan of the man or you’re one of those soundtrack freaks, you’re probably better off giving this one a pass.
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