Archaic

GRAMOPHONE

The 9/11 attacks inspired an outpouring of moving musical tributes that may never be completely catalogued. However, Matthew Smith’s Symphony No. 4 surely ranks among the most gripping…. [Zeitgeist] is no Frankenstein monster, but blossoming music that compels in its forward motion, despite its largely atmospheric construction.

By Andrew Druckenbrod

SOMNIUS.COM

Matthew Smith is a painter who composes layered landscapes with rich textures, absorbing color depths, and dramatic swaths. Matthew Smith is a composer who pieces together fragments of 1/16-size Suzuki violin gestures into some of the most gorgeous soundscapes you are likely to hear.

By Mike

PHOSPHOR

Drifting in and out of consciousness of the sort only achievable on long plane journeys, I press play on my Walkman and see what it shows me. Each piece has moments of lush dark symbolism, touching on cynicism, beautifully engaging and all at once. What sews it all together is the method. Matthew Smith approaches music as a painter adding layer upon layer of multi-tracked samples to create a kind of cut and paste symphony. Matthew and various other artists play beautifully (even the new music ensemble Zeitgeist doesn’t escape the clutches of his sampler)… a most compelling mood of dark beauty and as you listen all that is around you is of the utmost detailed importance.

By Watching Water