About
Matmos is an American experimental electronic duo of and Drew Daniel active since the mid-1990s and based in Baltimore, Maryland.
The band is named after a "seething lake of evil slime" from the '68 cult sci-fi film . Matmos gained prominence for its postmodernist approach and the ability to create "listenable" music from various bizarre objects. On most releases, Matmos scrupulously list all samples and sources, ranging from amplified crayfish nerve tissue, cow uterus, snails and contact microphones on human hair to life support systems, inflatable blankets, solid gold coins, and plastic riot police shield.
Daniel and Schmidt create "concept albums," taking turns to decide on the next record's topic. Matmos has explored various diverse concepts: "surgical procedures" on 2001 , a "Western/country" genre ('99 ) and "Medieval music" (2003 ), "various types of plastics" ( in 2019), "Whirlpool washing machine" ( from 2016), "Ganzfeld experiment & parapsychology" ( in 2013).
Martin Schmidt met Drew Daniel in San Francisco in the early 1990s, and they soon began making music together, self-releasing an 8-bit mono "mixtape/demo" cassette circa 1993. Schmidt and Daniel were also members of a glitch project Disc with Miguel Depedro in 1997-98, and played in occult-avantgarde band IAO Core, appearing on '98 album. Between 1999 and 2008, Matmos were signed to the Matador label. The duo joined Thrill Jockey Records in October 2012 and released its 12th studio album, , in May 2022. Matmos also runs Vague Terrain private imprint and has published over dozen of collaborative albums and EPs on other prominent international labels, including , , , , , and .
Matmos developed a rotating cast of guest musicians throughout the career, regularly working with Lesser, Jon Leidecker (Wobbly), , Keith Fullerton Whitman, , Dan Deacon, Jason Willett, Owen Gardner and other members of Horse Lords, People Like Us, and Matthew Herbert. In 1998, an Icelandic superstar Björk invited Matmos to remix her single. The duo further collaborated on her 2001 album and toured internationally as core members of Bjork's live band on Vespertine (August–December 2001) and Greatest Hits (May–September 2003) world tours. From 2011 to 2013, Matmos played in the stage ensemble for 's production The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic with (guitar, clarinet), (piano) and (guitar, bass).
The band contributed music to a few soundtracks, including Daria Martin's "Minotaur" film and works of Berlin-based choreographer Ayman Harper. Drew and Martin also made music for hardcore gay fetish porn, with selected tracks released on 2002 CD-R. They recorded a song with David Grubbs for , a 2012 documentary about elderly French gays and lesbians, and appeared on video game soundtrack.
The band is named after a "seething lake of evil slime" from the '68 cult sci-fi film . Matmos gained prominence for its postmodernist approach and the ability to create "listenable" music from various bizarre objects. On most releases, Matmos scrupulously list all samples and sources, ranging from amplified crayfish nerve tissue, cow uterus, snails and contact microphones on human hair to life support systems, inflatable blankets, solid gold coins, and plastic riot police shield.
Daniel and Schmidt create "concept albums," taking turns to decide on the next record's topic. Matmos has explored various diverse concepts: "surgical procedures" on 2001 , a "Western/country" genre ('99 ) and "Medieval music" (2003 ), "various types of plastics" ( in 2019), "Whirlpool washing machine" ( from 2016), "Ganzfeld experiment & parapsychology" ( in 2013).
Martin Schmidt met Drew Daniel in San Francisco in the early 1990s, and they soon began making music together, self-releasing an 8-bit mono "mixtape/demo" cassette circa 1993. Schmidt and Daniel were also members of a glitch project Disc with Miguel Depedro in 1997-98, and played in occult-avantgarde band IAO Core, appearing on '98 album. Between 1999 and 2008, Matmos were signed to the Matador label. The duo joined Thrill Jockey Records in October 2012 and released its 12th studio album, , in May 2022. Matmos also runs Vague Terrain private imprint and has published over dozen of collaborative albums and EPs on other prominent international labels, including , , , , , and .
Matmos developed a rotating cast of guest musicians throughout the career, regularly working with Lesser, Jon Leidecker (Wobbly), , Keith Fullerton Whitman, , Dan Deacon, Jason Willett, Owen Gardner and other members of Horse Lords, People Like Us, and Matthew Herbert. In 1998, an Icelandic superstar Björk invited Matmos to remix her single. The duo further collaborated on her 2001 album and toured internationally as core members of Bjork's live band on Vespertine (August–December 2001) and Greatest Hits (May–September 2003) world tours. From 2011 to 2013, Matmos played in the stage ensemble for 's production The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic with (guitar, clarinet), (piano) and (guitar, bass).
The band contributed music to a few soundtracks, including Daria Martin's "Minotaur" film and works of Berlin-based choreographer Ayman Harper. Drew and Martin also made music for hardcore gay fetish porn, with selected tracks released on 2002 CD-R. They recorded a song with David Grubbs for , a 2012 documentary about elderly French gays and lesbians, and appeared on video game soundtrack.
Members
Also known as
Discography
285 releasesMetallic Life Review
Matmos · 2025
Return To Archive
Matmos · 2023
Singularity 04: After Mud Guts
Matmos · 2022
Regards/Ukłony Dla Bogusław Schaeffer
Matmos · 2022
Pranam - A(Round) Giacinto Scelsi
Alter Ego (9) + Matmos · 2021
The Consuming Flame: Open Exercises In Group Form
Matmos · 2020
At Chalkwell Park
Matmos · 2019
Plastic Anniversary
Matmos · 2019
On The Radio At Southend-on-Sea
Matmos · 2018
Tatouages Mentholés Et Cartouches D'Aube
Matmos / Villeneuve / Class of 69 · 2017
Ultimate Care II
Matmos · 2016
Ultimate Care II Excerpt Eight
Matmos · 2015
Jeff Carey Plays Matmos / Matmos Plays Jeff Carey
Matmos & Jeff Carey · 2015
Like All Men Of The Library, I Have Travelled In My Youth...
Matmos · 2015
In Tempo Di Carestia Ogni Buco E Na Galleria
Matmos · 2013
I Want Snowden / Sheremetyevo Breakdown Blues
Matmos & The Disco Yahtzee Empire · 2013
The Marriage Of True Minds
Matmos · 2013
8.3 Hours Of Mixes By Matmos
Matmos · 2013
Needle Exchange 024
Matmos · 2012
The Ganzfeld EP
Matmos · 2012
Cockles And Mussels (Molly Malone)
Matmos / Clodagh Simonds (Fovea Hex)* · 2012
Quartets
Jefferson Friedman - Chiara String Quartet & Matmos · 2011
Subconscious Attraction Strategies
Boyce* + Matmos + Willits* · 2011
The Odd Couple's Uncontrollable Waves
Matmos And Dan Deacon · 2011
Treasure State
So Percussion & Matmos · 2010
Simultaneous Quodlibet
Lesser / Matmos / Wobbly · 2010
Plays The Coupigny
Matmos · 2008
Supreme Balloon
Matmos · 2008
A Paradise Of Dainty Devices: interludes, micromedia, & sound edits
Matmos · 2007
Steam And Sequins For Larry Levan
Matmos · 2006
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