Return to Archive

Return to Archive
Studio album by Matmos
Released	November 3, 2023 (2023-11-03)
Length	41:18
Label	Smithsonian Folkways
Producer	Drew Daniel Martin Schmidt
Matmos chronology
Regards/Ukłony dla Bogusław Schaeffer (2022) Return to Archive (2023) Metallic Life Review (2025)

Return to Archive is the fourteenth studio album by electronic duo Matmos, released on November 3, 2023. It uses non-music material sourced from the Smithsonian Folkways collection in its composition; the album itself was commissioned to commemorate Folkways' 75th anniversary. ^[1]

Background

September 18, 2023, Matmos announced the release of their fourteenth studio album, along with the first single "Mud-Dauber Wasp". ^[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	78/100 [3]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Pitchfork	7.4/10 [5]
Mojo	[6]
Uncut	7/10 [7]
Under the Radar	6/10 [8]

Return to Archive was met with "generally favorable" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 78, based on 7 reviews. ^[3]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Drew Daniel and M. C. Schmidt.

Return to Archive track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Good Morning Electronics"	1:05
2.	"Injection Basic Sound"	2:55
3.	"Mud-Dauber Wasp"	3:35
4.	"Music or Noise?"	4:12
5.	"Why?" (featuring Evicshen)	4:03
6.	"Lend Me Your Ears"	3:46
7.	"Return to Archive" (featuring Aaron Dilloway)	13:28
8.	"The Way Japanese Beetles Sound to a Rose"	1:28
9.	"Going to Sleep" (featuring Aaron Dilloway)	6:44
Total length:		41:18

Personnel

Matmos

• Drew Daniel – production, programming (all tracks); DJ (track 4)
• M. C. Schmidt – production (all tracks), programming (2–7, 9)

References

1. Butchard, Skye (November 1, 2023). "The Quietus - Reviews - Matmos". The Quietus. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
2. Eede, Christian (September 18, 2023). "Matmos Unveil New Album". The Quietus . Archived from the original on August 6, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
3. "Critic Reviews for Return to Archive". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
4. Phares, Heather. "Matmos - Return to Archive". AllMusic . Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
5. Blackwell, Matthew (November 9, 2023). "Matmos: Return to Archive". Pitchfork . Retrieved February 20, 2024.
6. Unlikely to soundtrack your next dinner party, but it's hard not to marvel at Matmos's cut-and-paste mastery. [Jan 2023, p.93]
7. The pair's keen rhythmic sense makes even the unusual palatable. [Review of the Year 2023, p.30]
8. Trunick, Austin (November 3, 2023). "Under the Radar Review". Under the Radar . Archived from the original on November 3, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2024.

Further reading

• Slingerland, Calum (September 7, 2023). "Matmos Mine 'Non-Musical' Folkways Recordings for New Album 'Return to Archive'". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on October 13, 2023. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
• Trunick, Austin (November 3, 2023). "Return to Archive". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on November 5, 2023. Retrieved November 8, 2023.

External links

• Official website