Martina Berther and Philipp Schlotter are prolific in their respective ways, having been active in pop and jazz music, respectively, as well as playing in bands and exploring the outer fringes of sound art or composing music for film. Their first joint album »Matt« was recorded over the course of four days in a church in the Swiss village after which the album was named. Berther and Schlotter worked with the building’s organ as well as synthesizers and electric bass to follow an experimental approach that oscillated between composition and free improvisation. The five pieces, recorded directly to tape by Flo Götte without any additional overdubs, are characterised by an intimacy and rawness that calls to mind the introspective atmosphere of Hallow Ground labelmates FUJI||||||||||TA or mastering engineer Lawrence English's latest album for the Swiss label. »Matt« is the result of two versatile composers and musicians executing minimalist ideas by giving them plenty of space to unfold. The album opens with »Unruhe,« a composition that is based on the twelve-tone technique. Using a stopwatch to ensure the adherence to the pre-determined temporal intervals between the individual notes, Berther and Schlotter used the church organ and synthesizers for an ominous piece that traverses different moods and levels of intensity throughout its 14-minute run time. »LFO1« and »LFO2« are different variations of the same concept: Based on a synthesizer preset and structured by an organ drone, two tone generators slowly fall silent, resulting in elegiac pieces that call to mind the work of Éliane Radigue. »Frachter« and »Gallia« put more emphasis on percussive elements. Again working with organ as well as Berther's prepared electric bass, this improvisation comprises interlocking textures that sound almost menacing on »Frachter,« while they create a very different atmosphere on »Gallia.« These notable discrepancies in sound and mood are even more astonishing if you consider that the two pieces are based on the exact same recording, played at different speeds. As two variations on the same idea with very different results, these two pieces perfectly represent how the duo effectively creates emotionally affective sound worlds with very few means. Berther and Schlotter's conceptual minimalism yields rewarding, multi-faceted aesthetic results. »Matt« is an intimate album, marked by a sense of vividness and spontaneity, but also the product of compositional conciseness.
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Nobsound Little Bear T7 Tube Preamp
Delivers rich, warm audio through its high-quality vacuum tubes, featuring multiple inputs and adjustable gain
-
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO
Featuring a one-piece carbon fiber tonearm, precision-tuned motor, and a heavy steel platter with TPE damping, it ensures superior stability and sound quality.
-
Edifier R1280DB Powered Speakers
Combining classic design with modern Bluetooth connectivity, built-in amplification and versatile inputs, these speakers deliver rich, balanced sound.
-
Nagaoka MP-110H Cartridge
Features a high-quality elliptical stylus that provides excellent tracking and minimizes distortion, delivering a detailed sound reproduction with an output voltage of 5.0 mV
-
Cartridges - Top Picks
A selection of turnatble cartridges that provide great performance and sound quality
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Cheap Trick All Washed Up (Graphite Marble)
Bmg
November 14, 2025 -
Sammy Hagar Sammy Hagar & The Best Of All Worlds Band (The Residency Amplified Lime/Reverb Blue) [2xLP]
Big Machine Rock
October 10, 2025 -
Westerman A Jackal's Wedding
Partisan Records
November 7, 2025 -
Bahamas My Second Last Album
Brushfire/Republic Records
October 24, 2025 -
Mike Oldfield Amarok [2xLP]
Universal UK
November 7, 2025 -
Grateful Dead Blues For Allah (50th Anniversary)
Grateful Dead Production
October 10, 2025 -
Militarie Gun God Save The Gun
Loma Vista Recordings
October 17, 2025 -
Sorry COSPLAY
Domino Record Co
November 7, 2025 -
Perturbator Age of Aquarius (Transparent Blue) [2xLP]
Nuclear Blast
October 24, 2025 -
Creeper Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death (Purple)
Spinefarm
October 31, 2025 -
Leon Vynehall In Daytona (Yellow)
Ooze INC
October 10, 2025 -
Chicks On Speed HEARTopia (Deluxe Edition, Pink) [5xLP]
Groenland Records
October 17, 2025 -
Ebba Åsman When You Know
Dorado
October 17, 2025 -
Acumen Nation Transmissions From Eville (30th Anniversary; Red)
Distortion Productions
October 10, 2025