Matar – Archaeoacoustics (CD Album, SLEEPERS 022, 2025) :: Label : Sleepers Records :: Release date : 12th September :: Limited Edition 300 copies :: 4-panel Digipak with Obi stripe, manufactured in Tokyo :: It includes a QR code linking to the full 14-page Archaeoacoustics booklet
Archaeoacoustics: Vinyl tracks (1to 6) – Vinyl version is sold out (everywhere, it’s available only at the CDVA merch table) :: CD version additional tracks (7-11): available at Rizosfera shop HERE
Archaeoacoustics was released on vinyl in November 2024 on Sleepers Records, the CD version features five additional tracks exclusive to this release.
The MATAR project was founded by Adi Newton (TAG /SOON/ Spectral Unit / ClockDVA) in 2016 in collaboration with Michael Esposito, an American pioneering EVP researcher & Sarah Rosalena Brady, an American Violinist and Assistant Professor of Art at UC Santa Barbara with a number of special performances in the US and Europe. The Album Archaeoacoustics has been developed over 5 years using live binaural beat frequency recordings at Stone Henge and field recordings from the Hurlers site in Minions / Bodmin Moor. Rooted in Archaeoacoustics, the project investigates the intersections between archaeological and astrophysical theories, ancient spiritual systems, and metaphysical concepts, exploring these through psychoacoustic technology, specialized frequencies, and immersive audio-visual works that push beyond conventional description.
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Review on Blow Up Magazine 321 ‒ February 2025 about Archaeoacoustics vinyl release written by Paolo Bertoni :
The collaboration between Newton and Michael Esposito, pioneer in EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) research,
he investigation of apparently non-human voices captured through electronic instrumentation has occasionally
attracted contributions from celebrated artists who have influenced Newton’s trajectory. Newton’s commitment to
scientifically rigorous sound research, particularly through his work with T.A.G.C., has been well-documented, and
Matar serves as the progenitor of this approach. Like Cybele in Greek mythology, the project embodies a wholly
immersive methodology, as evidenced by the album’s title and accompanying scholarly booklet, which establishes
the foundations of archaeoacoustics, the study of acoustic properties in archaeological sites and artifacts, and their
relationship to the civilizations they represent.
The album opens magnificently with “Homme Verde,” a mysterious composition that weaves field recordings with
melancholic undertones, featuring a hypnotic piano motif, scattered percussion, and ritualistic elements, all
enveloped in cosmic atmospherics. “The Hurlers & Quintessence” maintains the esoteric mysticism with fragments
reminiscent of choral masses, unyielding rhythmic passages, distorted vocal elements, and metallic textures that
honor the work’s dedication to Z’EV, seamlessly flowing into the second track.
“Lyrae Shadow Constellation (The Pipers)” offers a spatial ambient journey and notably features the only recorded
contribution from electric violist Sarah Rosalena Brady, who participated in Matar’s early incarnation. The album’s
latter half explores deeper sonic territories: “The Henge Resonator” builds from subtle vibrations into an ominous
undercurrent, while “110 Hz State The Maze Pattern” generates ethereal dark ambient textures that dissolve into
persistent drone formations. This release represents a mature synthesis of Newton’s archaeological interests and electronic experimentation,
offering both scholarly rigor and visceral sonic experience.
