ONE ONE sees Herbert pushing the concept of the solo project to its logical conclusion by writing, performing and producing a whole album completely by himself. He even sings for the first time, lending the record a feeling of vulnerability and intimacy not seen in his releases for years. 

The record is available now: 

iTunes

Amazon

Accidental Records

The Invisible are currently on tour in the US until mid-April, head over to their Myspace for dates.

The video was styled by Rowdy Superstar, choreographed by Barbara Panther and directed by Margaret Salmon. 

And it reveals a side to Herbert which you may not have seen. And that's before he starts singing...

Leipzig is released on 29 March.

ONE ONE, the first part of Matthew Herbert's ONE Trilogy, is out on 12 April. 

Watch the video on nme.com now

“I wanted to record one human life and make that into a record but it soon became clear that following someone from the cradle to the grave is too difficult. Pigs are animals which humans totally rely on in many different ways, yet systematically abuse, so I felt this would be an excellent representation of a modern life.”

Matthew has also responded to animal rights group PETA in a statement online -

“I'm puzzled and disappointed by PETA's assertions about one pig because this project is in part about dealing head on with the conditions and realities of a modern food industry. As I eat meat, I would have thought PETA would have been pleased that I am confronting the consequences of that choice. Unlike most industrial pig farms, my pig was kept in excellent conditions but was always grown by the farmer for slaughter. My desire to listen in to that entire cycle and represent it as music is not, and never was intended to be cynically repackaged purely as entertainment.”

For more information on the journey of the pig visit thisisapig.blogspot.com

For more information on a project inspired by this album visit www.seeyourfood.org

The first is One One, which Matthew has written, performed, recorded and produced entirely by himself, to be released in April. One One features Matthew singing for the first time. The result is his most intimate and “honest” musical production since he first performed live at Wishmountain in 1995, using only a pepper pot as an instrument.

The second in the series is One Club, being released in June 2010. The samples used for the album were recorded in their entirety at the Robert Johnson club in Frankfurt, Germany, in September 2009. Matthew turned the microphones on the audience - recording dancing, kissing, laughter, mobile phone rings and a plethora of sounds. He even recorded private conversations and sounds from the toilets.

The One Trilogy concludes with One Pig, released in September 2010, which will use sampled sounds from the life of a pig reared at a Farm in Kent, slaughtered, and then eaten. Initially Matthew had wanted to record one human life but due to the difficulty of that he chose a pig instead - "Pigs are animals which humans totally rely on in many different ways, yet systematically abuse, so I felt this would be an excellent representation of a modern life.”

And if you haven't yet sampled the delights of this stunning album, you can buy it on iTunes. 

Read the rest of the Matthew Herbert interview and article.

De Pury - owner and Chief Auctioneer of Phillps de Pury & Company - will lead proceedings at the auction house's MUSIC sale, which comprises four main elements: art and design by contemporary artists that has a reference to music; art by contemporary musicians; portraits of contemporary musicians by top photographers; and a unique selection of music memorabilia.

During the second half of the sale, Herbert will use both the sale items and the bidding process itself as stimuli for an improvisation which will in turn be recorded and sold.

The auction takes place on Saturday 21 November at 5pm.

The lots are currently being exhibited at the company's London showroom:
Phillips de Pury & Company, Howick Place
London
SW1P 1BB
Tel: +44 20 7318 4010

This week's show at the Barbican, to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of The British Council, has already been described as 'spine-tingling' by The Evening Standard. We'll share other reviews as they come in. 

We'd like to thank The British Council for hosting us, Serious for all their work in making the show happen and the other performers on the night. 

Reprising last year's landmark performance at the London Jazz Festival, the band will be joined onstage by the 75-strong Goldsmiths Vocal Ensemble, to perform material from the album There's Me And There's You.

The show has completely sold out, but there are likely to be just a few tickets available at the last minute for those who fancy taking their chances.

For an insight into the Ensemble's preparations for the performance, check out this piece in The Times. Journalist Ed Potton has joined the Ensemble and written about the experience of working with this amazing group.

And just to keep all of their fans happy, there are some lovely new photos up on the Accidental Website. What do the photos look like?

The Matthew Herbert-produced record has already been hailed by critics and fans alike. Great to see it getting the credit it deserves. 

Not heard it yet? Buy it from our shop or iTunes now!

In 2010 Matthew Herbert will release a record entitled 'The Pig'. It will be made up entirely of sounds made during the life cycle of a pig.

In his first pig-related blog Matthew writes:

"I will be there at its birth,
during its life,
present at its death
and during the butchery process.
Its body will then be given to chefs new and old,
there will be a feast,
it will all be recorded
and then turned in to music.

Meanwhile I await a call from Monkshill Farm in Kent to let me know that my pig is on its way. I will rush there with a camera and a tape recorder".

You can follow the journey here.

Click on this link to access the band's iTunes page, or go to their myspace for details of upcoming gigs

"Ambitious, affecting brilliance from London trio’s debut" - MOJO

"The Invisible are no less than our own TV On The Radio – and more besides" - Time Out

"Pop music: to sum up, if you can make the girls dance, you own the world. And on this evidence. The Invisible had better rehearse their victory parade" - NME

You'll be able to pick up this piece of aural magnificence here and here.

If you're in London, the band are also playing a special instore at Rough Trade records on Brick Lane tomorrow (Tuesday 3/3/09) at 19.00.

Enjoy!

Remixes come from: Yee-King/Matthew Herbert/2 Banks of 4/Kwes and Skinzi.

Time Out described The Invisible thus:  "they've evolved a light-filled and groovily insistent, electro soul-pop hybrid that recalls Scritti Politti, Talking Heads, Arthur Russell, Bilal, Robert Wyatt, Prince and latter-day Radiohead - possibly unworkable on paper, but in actuality, near perfect. Their sound is sophisticated yet earthy, intelligent but deeply heartfelt, comfortingly familiar yet zingily fresh".

The band are supporting the album by playing a number of live dates, and we wholeheartedly recommend that you get down to one-more details on the band's myspace page.

Finn has been nominated for a session for his incredible Butterflies record, which you can buy here.

We're also proud to be releasing an EP of amazing remixes of tracks taken from Finn's record, which will be released next month. Stay posted for more information.

about politics and music and There's Me And There's You

Currently receiving rapturous reviews around the world, the album has been described as "an intriguing, thoughtful album that's both engrossing and entertaining" (by The Independent), and is being presented in the band's trademark style to audiences around the globe over the next few months (details on the 'gigs' page).

Released on Accidental Records in the UK and Japan, and on !K7 in the rest of the world, the album is available on iTunes and on every other good digital platform, as well as in all good record shops. You can buy it from Amazon here.

This explanation is taken from bjork.com:

"The single was composed specifically to encourage active support for the Nattura campaign, which aims at collating and providing sustainable and eco-friendly options suitable for Iceland, and generating alternative ways to utilize it’s natural resources. People will be able to submit their ideas on the website for sustainable green workplaces for Icelanders. According to Björk, “It is now more important than ever before to emphasize a respect for nature…I believe that profits, technological advances and working together with nature can all go hand in hand. None need to be sacrificed at the expense of the others.”

The new single is written and produced by Björk and features Radiohead’s Thom Yorke on backing vocals, Brian Chippendale (Lighting Bolt) on drums, Matthew Herbert on synth/bass, and Mark Bell on additional electronic beats. Opening with a huge elemental swirl, “Nattura” then fires up an incendiary and fierce tribal rhythm. The song sees Björk firmly on the march in celebration of her homeland, in hopes that Icelanders harness its energy in a sustainable way.
For more information on the single and the Nattura Environmental Campaign please visit www.nattura.info or www.bjork.com."
 

Check it out here

You can also pre-order your copy here.

On top of all of that, Matthew also DJ'ed at The Climate Camp in Kent recently, a camp set up to house protestors preparing for a day of mass action at Kingsnorth Power Station. You can read more about the protest here.

And, on top of all of that, Matthew has been working on a piece with Chris Watson and Antony Gormley that will be performed as part of Liverpool's European City of Culture celebrations on Saturday 13th September. More info here.

Praised as "a slice of first rate, lo fi oddball pop, combining avant-garde instrumentation with creepily infectious melodies" by The Fly, and as "a zingy, lo-fi gem full of cuddly harmonies and foreign pings and pongs" by Time Out, it has become an anthem on London's dancefloors as of late.

Check it out for yourself on iTunes or pre-order a copy on 7" from HMV

And catch Micachu & the Shapes on a number of UK dates this Summer and Autumn-details on the dates page..

You can buy tickets here

You don't have to be a professional, in fact the more varied the better!
If that sounds interesting, please email info@accidentalrecords.com with "I'LL SING FOR MY DINNER" in the subject line, and we'll do the rest..

Your Accidental Family xx

Matthew Herbert, master of the found sound and exponent of the more popular side of dance music's avant-garde teams up with promo film-maker Joji Koyama  (Woof Wan Bau), director of award-winning promos for Mogwai, Coldcut and Duke Spirit; and several short films including Watermelon Love. Matthew Herbert has thrilled audiences around the world with his off-the-cuff musical style and subversive stance. Anyone who is familiar with his work sampling recipes conjured by Nigella Lawson for the LP Plat Du Jour will know what might be in store.

Next up Alexis Taylor from London and Brian Degraw from New York. Alexis is a musician, songwriter and singer, best known as a member of the pop group, Hot Chip - a band few of us can claim not to be familiar with following their critically acclaimed album The Warning storming the charts. Recently working on a number of side projects most notably with Green Gartside of Scritti Politti, at the ICA we will witness his first first foray into audio-visual experimentation with musician and artist Brian Degraw, founding member of the experimental music group Gang Gang Dance. Brian has exhibited artwork throughout the world and toured extensively with GGD and has also collaborated in the recent past with artists Oliver Payne and Nick Relph, and filmmaker Harmony Korine. We can thus assume that these two guys, no strangers to working in partnerships with others will get nothing short of magical when they work together. Check Brian's Retina Riddim DVD for a hint of this fusions' potential.
Also on the bill is animator and film-maker Max Hattler, a further talent on display at this intriguing evening. Although relatively new to the commercial scene, his personal work is a revelation and Max has promised to pull out all the stops to rise to the occasion at the ICA. His already inspiring work with the band Economy Wolf (he has directed two promos for the band) will come to fruition as both parties perform together live.

Lastly Simon Robson, most known for his work What Barry Says, will be doing something that ties it all together. Watch this space... or better still come down and see for yourself.

"the oddest pleasure you'll experience all year." [The Independent]

"some of the most unclassifiable and exhilarating contemporary music you've ever heard." [FROOTS]

"endlessly surprising and enjoyable.....perversely catchy" [Howard Male, The Independent on Sunday]

"the sort of album that will keep revealing hidden treasures on every single subsequent listen" [Boomkat]

Rush out and grab your copy here

"the oddest pleasure you'll experience all year." [The Independent]

"some of the most unclassifiable and exhilarating contemporary music you've ever heard." [FROOTS]

"endlessly surprising and enjoyable.....perversely catchy" [Howard Male, The Independent on Sunday]

"the sort of album that will keep revealing hidden treasures on every single subsequent listen" [Boomkat]

This stunning debut is available on Itunes and here

New signings The Invisible, Setsubun Bean Unit and Mica Levi & The Cluster will all be unveiling their aural treasures to the world on the afternoon of Thursday 14th June-come say hello
www.sonar.es