Temporal Waves is the alias of Montreal-based musician Shawn Mativetsky, who has built his reputation as a master of Indian classical music and leading advocate of the tabla, Pandit Ram Sahai his muse. But being a musical maven, he also has both feet firmly planted in the world of the contemporary spanning jazz and pop to name but two genres. It is this versatility that sees Mativetsky now venturing into the world of synth-based electronica and soundscapes with his latest project, Temporal Waves.
With a day job that sees him teaching tabla and percussion at McGill University while spreading the word through international workshops and performances, Mativetsky has also performed alongside harpist Sarah Pagé, Persian, santurist Amir Amiri and sitarist Uwe Neumann, not to mention the improv trio Of Sound Mind and Body with Tim Brady and Helmut Lipsky. But for his latest release (and project) Temporal Waves, he has dispensed with all connections to the world of Indian classical music as he tiptoes into the electronic sphere instead.
Mativetsky might argue that his heart has always embraced electronic music, not only as a young gamer but as part of the Montreal DIY electronic music scene that centred around ’tracker’ software. Back then he joined the online collective NOiSE and a decade later merged his electronic interest with his first true love in the Indo-electronic project Ramasutra, even now he collaborates with live coder David Ogborn in the duo, very long cat.
But Temporal Waves plays with electronica in its purest form, Mativetskypulling on all the expected influences including German godfathers Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze. There are hints of Wendy Carlos and you can definitely hear the echo of old school gaming soundtracks in there too. Temporal Waves chimes with the rising wave of nostalgic library and hauntological music, even though it fits more with sci-fi soundscapes – just look at the titles, ‘Eclipse of an Urban Dystopia’ and ‘Cortical Network Oscillations’ – than the haunting whimsy of 70s kids’ television. MMativetsky firmly takes the reins as he plays with analog synths, drum machines and plenty of hoaky but great sound effects and is even accompanied by Besnard Lakes guitarist Jace Lasek on a handful of tracks. Mastered by Jeppe Hasseris aka Dynatron, Temporal Waves is released on Mativetsky’s label Linear Fade Records and Toronto’s people places records. Available on all formats, take a listen here you won’t regret it!
Sarah Gregory
meansmagazine.com 