by Jason Grimes

In the sparse, extended world of IDM and ambient music, finding one's peers is paramount. Via the internet, the very personal act of dissecting a listening experience, viewing the gross anatomy of the tracks, and hopping from one mysterious, musical world to the next has become a cherished group activity. Lovers of glitchy tones strap on airtight, insulated headphones, fire up the trusty web browser, and symbiotically guide each other through a universe of extraterrestrial trainspotting with one mission in mind—finding the new dope music.

But what happens when these same stalwart enthusiasts, in their explorations, fortuitously come in contact with an enigmatic, iconic intelligence from outside their normal sphere of travel? Often very little other than limited laudations, quick questions about gear specifics, or vague limited-release rumor delving occurs. What is utterly charming then is that this release of Metamatics' Rewired in My Manor takes the unofficial, social experiment between fan and artist and sees it to one logical conclusion, producing a stellar stable of remixes. The talents here are sonically still waters, all digital seas running deceptively deep.

The opening slow motion glacial extrapolations of Yasume's "Dentosen (Shit HotPod)" curl slowly to their conclusion, nestling in next to the more frenetic "Days Are Gone (Here To Go)" remix by Verbose. Here the occasionally airy vocal, and generally uplifting sound samples, escape from their cage of programmed clicks, until the track is soaring unfettered. Surprisingly, given the range of the collaborations, the tone seldom shifts, and throughout "Rewired in My Manor" maintains, for the most part, as a soothing excursion through the vision originally provided by Lee Norris (Metamatics) in his unreleased track, "Pod." Whether portrayed through the Plaid-esque interpretations of Ilkae's "Pro Lease Crease," the deeply minimal ambient noir of Sabi's "A Scene When The Train Leaves," or the extremely funky yet charmingly dysfunctional workout provided by Kero on "Shit Pod It's Hot", Rewired in My Manor is a credit to the unsigned hype dwelling unseen in cyberspace, ready for their next assignments... hungry for adventure.

Metamatics - Rewired In My Manor
Hydrogen Dukebox

Track Listing:

1. Dentosen (Shit HotPod) - Rewired by Yasume
2. Days are Gone (Here to Go) - Rewired by Verbose
3. Pro Leash Crease - Rewired by Ilkae
4. Cold River Testina - Rewired by Sleepy Town Manufacture
5. Blue Moon Rising - Rewired by ENV(itre)
6. A Scene When the Train Leaves - Rewired by Sabi
7. Shit Pod It's Hot - Rewired by Kero
8. Alotment Defender - Rewired by Stars as Eyes
9. The Pod - Rewired by Kettel
10. Minimatics - Rewired by Xela vs. Aeiou
11. Saint Jude (Edit) - Rewired by Bauri
12. Byeway Clan - Rewired by Matik