Matmos go “metal” on new album, touring: hear “Changing States”

For their new album as Matmos, Drew Daniel and M.C. Schmidt are going metal. Not in a devil horns kind of way, but Metallic Life Review is made up entirely of sounds made with metal objects. It’s out June 20 via Thrill Jockey.

Some of those metal objects were struck by notable collaborators: the late Susan Alcorn provides pedal steel, Thor Harris bangs percussion, Owen Gardner plays glockenspiel, Jason Willett (Half Japanese) is on guitar, and Jeff Carey does special things with aluminum cans.

“We have the sounds of plucking the metallic gates around a tomb recorded in an underground crypt, the sound of cemetery gates, and the death of Susan Alcorn and the death of David Lynch occurred as we completed the album,” says Daniel. “We had already mixed the music with Susan before she passed, and we dedicate ‘Changing States’ to her. David Lynch’s way of being an American artist was inspiring to us and we dedicated ‘The Chrome Reflects Our Image’ to him.”

You can listen to “Changing States,” which is playful, melodic and glitchy, below.

Matmos are also on tour this summer and will play The Ruins at Knockdown Center on June 21 with DJ foodman, Ohio electronic musician Giant Claw, and Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist and composer more eaze. All their dates are listed below.

Metallic Life Review
1. Norway Doorway
2. The Rust Belt
3. Changing States
4. Steel Tongues
5. The Chrome Reflects Our Image
6. Metallic Life Review

Matmos – 2025 Tour Dates
May 23 – Wiltshire, UK – Acid Horse Festival
May 25 – Glasgow, UK – Baked Beans on the Doorstep
May 28 – Berlin, DE – Silent Green
May 30 – Pordenone, IT – Astro Club
Jun. 1 – Fano, IT – Bagli Elsa
Jun. 2 – Roma, IT – Monk
Jun. 4 – Genova, IT – Giardino di Mentelacole
Jun. 6 – Milano, IT – Museo della scienza
Jun. 7 – Bologna, IT – DumBo
Jun. 12 – Vienna, AT – Flucc
Jun. 14 – London, UK – Rio Cinema
Jun. 21 – New York City, NY – Knockdown Center
Jun. 25 – Philadelphia, PA – Solar Myth
Jun. 29 – Chicago, IL – Constellation
Jul. 3 – Louisville, KY – Art Sanctuary
Jul. 8 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
Jul. 11 – Los Angeles, CA – 2220 Arts
Jul. 16 – Portland, OR – Holocene
Aug. 30 – Washington, DC – Black Cat
Nov. 22-28 – Santa Cruz de Tenerife, ES – Espacio Cultural el Tanque / Keroxen Festival