Archaeoacoustics è stato pubblicato su vinile nel novembre 2024 per l’etichetta Sleepers Records, mentre la versione CD, che include cinque tracce aggiuntive esclusive di questa edizione, è stato pubblicato il 12 settembre 2025. Il progetto MATAR è stato fondato nel 2016 da Adi Newton (TAGC / SOON / Spectral Unit / Clock DVA) in collaborazione con Michael Esposito, pioniere americano della ricerca sulle voci elettroniche (EVP), e Sarah Rosalena Brady, violinista americana e Professoressa Associata di Arte alla UC di Santa Barbara (USA), con una serie di performance speciali tenutesi negli Stati Uniti e in Europa.
L’album Archaeoacoustics è il risultato di un lavoro di sviluppo durato oltre cinque anni, che ha utilizzato registrazioni live di frequenze binaurali effettuate a Stonehenge e registrazioni ambientali dal sito Hurlers presso Minions/Bodmin Moor (Cornovaglia/UK). Radicato nel campo dell’archeoacustica, il progetto esplora le intersezioni tra teorie archeologiche e astrofisiche, antichi sistemi spirituali e concetti metafisici. Queste tematiche vengono investigate attraverso l’impiego di tecnologia psicoacustica, frequenze specializzate e opere audiovisive immersive che superano i confini delle descrizioni convenzionali.
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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.
