Matar Combines Ancient Sites With Electronic Manipulation
Matar, the collaborative project between Adi Newton, EVP researcher Michael Esposito, and violist Sarah Rosalena Brady, issues Archaeoacoustics on CD for the first time. The album, which took seven years to develop, documents acoustic phenomena recorded at Stonehenge, Cornwall’s Hurlers stone circle, and the Neolithic passage tomb at Newgrange.
Artist: Matar
Release Date: 2025-09-12
Genres: Ambient, Drone
Label: Sleepers Records
Description: Matar releases Archaeoacoustics on CD via Sleepers Records, featuring Adi Newton, field recordings from ancient sites, bonus tracks.
The recordings center on the 110/111 Hz frequency range, which acoustic measurements have documented as a natural resonance in several ancient stone structures. The project employs binaural recording techniques and field documentation methods typically associated with paranormal investigation to record ambient sound. Esposito handles technical recording duties, while Brady‘s viola parts respond to the resonant properties of each location.
The CD version, manufactured in Tokyo with a four-panel digipak and obi strip, adds material absent from the 2024 LP release. A 14-page digital booklet accessible via QR code accompanies the physical disc. The tracklist spans eleven pieces, from “Homme Verde” through “Sculptures of Daedalus,” each named for specific archaeological or mythological references tied to the recording locations.
Newton formed The Future in 1977 before establishing ClockDVA the following year. The Sheffield-based group operated through various lineup changes until 1995, with Newton later working under the TAGC moniker and in other collaborative configurations. ClockDVA’s output ranged from early industrial experimentation through more dance-oriented material in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Newton‘s solo work has continued to explore electronic sound manipulation and conceptual frameworks, often incorporating found sounds and location-specific recordings.
The album arrives on the autumn equinox, timed to coincide with astronomical events that would have held significance for the builders of these stone structures.
The 110 Hz frequency that anchors the project has been measured in some ancient stone structures, including chambers at Hal Saflieni Hypogeum in Malta, where acoustic studies have documented specific resonant frequencies. Similar measurements have been recorded at other sites, though the significance of these acoustic properties remains a matter of interpretation among researchers.
Retrofurista is a site on design, interesting things, audio visual arts, and food.
Discover more from RetroFuturista
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
