The “Don’t Pee on the Rug” 25

Don’t Pee on the Rug have settled in on their 25 favorite albums of 2009, and there are two entries from Drifting Falling artists on the list. At number 5 is Gareth Dickson with “Collected Recordings”. At number 25 is Matt Bartram with “Left to Memory”. Simon Scott, who has recorded for Drifting Falling as Televise also makes the list at number 23 with Navigare out on Miasmah. Also worth mentioning one of our favorite artists Epic45 are on the list at number 6 with “In All The Empty Houses” out on Make Mine Music.

Drowned in Sound » Matt Bartram “Left to Memory”

Drowned in Sound share their thoughts on Matt Bartram’s latest album, “Left to Memory”.
Although better known as the frontman for Brighton’s Air Formation, Matt Bartram has actually been making music in his own right for the past two years. Last year’s low-key release Arundel proved to be a seminal introduction which combined ambient melancholy with distilled electronica and Left To Memory, released earlier this month, takes his panoramic musical vision one step further. Take the album’s centrepiece, ‘Twelve String Loop’, for example; a glorious washed-out slab of voluptuous guitar ambience that features Christian Savill, formerly of Slowdive. Its angelic sounds join the record together like heavenly rivets, while the compellingly claustrophobic ‘Another Wave’ adds another string to Bartram’s already over-populated bow.

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Leonard’s Lair reviews Left to Memory

Jonathan Leonard puts pen to paper, or is it finger to keyboard about the new Matt Bartram album Left to Memory
As one half of The Static Silence, Matt Bartram represents the lighter side of shoegazing with the emphasis on songs rather than effects. As a solo artist, though, Bartram reveals a very different side to the story with his music knee deep in layers of noise.

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Everything Is Chemical reviews Left to Memory

Everything Is Chemical takes a look at Left to Memory by Matt Bartram.
“Left To Memory” is the sound of one man baring his soul underneath a train station. Where lush meets loud, noise becomes soothing, and sublime becomes uplifting. More than exceptional, “Left To Memory” is resplendent, imaginative, & refreshing. For fans of Air Formation, Auburn Lull, Spacemen 3, The British Expeditionary Force, Bowery Electric, July Skies, Soul Whirling Somewhere, etc. Rec-omm-ended.

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Caleidoscoop review Matt Bartram’s “Left to Memory”

Kind words from Caleidoscoop, so far as we can tell. Can anyone provide a accurate translation? Hit us up in the comments.
Het label met de perfect uitgekozen naam Drifting Falling is er één om in de smiezen te houden met hun grote hoeveelheid droommuziek. Dat geldt ook zeker voor de Britse muzikant Matt Bartram, die de afgelopen 9 jaar vooral met Air Formation en daarnaast The Static Silence op uitstekende en veelal shoegazende wijze van zich heeft laten horen. Hij is van de tweede generatie schoenen starende artiesten, maar blinkt daar dan ook echt al jaren in uit. Dat blijkt maar eens te meer met zijn tweede solo cd Left To Memory, waarop hij overigens alles zelf speelt en zingt. Alleen in één nummer krijgt hij hulp op de 12-snarige gitaar van zijn makker Christian Savill (Slowdive, Monster Movie). Hij zet van die heerlijk warme met softnoise gevulde gitaarmuren op, die me naast Air Formation doen denken aan die van Slowdive met de gruizige inbreng van een Flying Saucer Attack. In de meer percussie gerichte stukken waarbij de noise iets meer overheerst koerst hij ook richting The Jesus And Mary Chain. Denk daarbij nog aan dat melancholisch lieflijke van de House Of Love, de desolate uitwaaierende gitaarpartijen van Roy Montgomery en het ijle van Sigur Rós, gelardeerd met een vleugje dampende seksmuziek van de Cocteau Twins en je hebt het plaatje aardig compleet. Maar dat plaatje klinkt toch ook als steengoede muziek in je oren zou ik zo zeggen. Mooier hoef ik ook het niet te maken.

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[EDIT: There’s a translation from Emiel in the comments.]

Textura reviews Matt Bartram

There is the great review of the new Matt Bartram album, “Left to Memory” in the latest Textura.
In the liner notes to his second solo release (Arundel, the first, was released in March 2008), Air Formation’s Matt Bartram offers the gentlemanly suggestion: “This album will sound best when played loud so please turn it up.” Subjecting oneself to the album’s forty minutes of shoegaze songcraft, one doesn’t only undergo a thorough excavation of one’s ear canals but also experiences a heady and enveloping rush of guitars, programmed drums, and echo-drenched vocals (the gear listed at Bartram’s MySpace page includes Fender Jazzmaster, Jaguar, Telecaster & Thinline, Fender Jaguar Bass VI Custom, Guild Starfire III, synths, Farfisa).

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