With the third installment in the tech trilogy, Matters & Dunaway have finally risen to respected LP status, and deservedly so. A richly delivered work, Hightech is yet another instrumental album, full of textured soundscapes and patient breath. But this time the attention to detail and evident maturation in songcraft proves the obscure Boston duo have saved their best for last.
Multi-instrumentalists Thomas Gallagher and Andre Obin, have taken their heavy, dream-state electronica and pushed it further into well developed, cinematic themes. From passive 80s new wave – the perfect backdrop for a John Hughes remake – to sci-fi chase scenes and futuristic robot battles, the album plays like a film score, with brief interludes separating each dramatic event. Those notable heavy beats are still prevalent, but now the duo demonstrate a sophisticated level of restraint, allowing long, winding passages to exist, grow and fade without the inevitable boiling point. The intricate storyline they create allows the entire album to have a strong sense of continuity. Hopefully the tech series will continue as well.
See mattersdunaway.com for more info.
