Matthew Herbert | British composer and producer Matthew Herbert

PHD thesis – Listen while you work: Negotiating Power and Meaning in Post-Concrete Music

Sep 14, 2021

Matthew recently completed a PHD thesis which can be read here: https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/8×378/listen-while-you-work-negotiating-power-and-meaning-in-post-concrete-music

blog

Original score for new TV series ‘The Beast Must Die’

Jun 21, 2021

Matthew has written the music for BBC / ITV’s British television streaming service Britbox’s first original drama production ‘The Beast Music Die‘, starring Cush Jumbo, Jared Harris and Billy Howle. The soundtrack is also available via Herbert’s on Accidental label: smarturl.it/TBMD_OST

blog

New Herbert album ‘Musca’ announced

May 19, 2021

Matthew Herbert has announced his latest album under the name Herbert. Musca is out October 22 via Accidental Records. Following 1998’s Around the House and 2001’s Bodily Functions, it’s the latest installment of his domestic house album series. It’s led by the first single “The Way” featuring Y’akoto. Give that a listen below. The Way by Herbert feat....

blog

Vinyl reissues of Bodily Functions and Around The House

Apr 29, 2021

‘Classic albums’ may be an overused term but is entirely warranted here with the announced reissues of this pair of house music long-players from Matthew Herbert’s extensive back catalogue, getting a release on triple vinyl his own Accidental label. 2001’s much celebrated ‘Bodily Functions’ has appeared in many Album Of...

blog

You’re Welcome Here (Brexit Edition)

Feb 8, 2021

In 2019 on their album ‘The State Between Us’ The Matthew Herbert (Brexit) Big Band asked ’What does Brexit sound like?’. It was recorded over 2 years with more than 1000 musicians and singers. Fast forward to 2021 and post-Brexit as musician’s face crippling costs and admin to work in...

blog

Premiere of two new pieces performed by the London Sinfonietta

Nov 9, 2020

King’s Place hosted a socially distanced concert (on the eve before England’s second lockdown) which saw the premiere of two new compositions by Matthew: Pianissimo and The Melt, the latter a collaboration with a group of young musicians from North London. The London Sinfonietta also performed the piece More, More,...

blog

Score for new film: DIS[INTEGRATION]

Nov 2, 2020

Matthew has created the score for an important new film DIS[INTEGRATION] from film maker Smriti Keshari which captures every Trump headline from Trump’s inauguration until the 2020 US election in the New York Times. Find out more at headlinesarefrontlines.art

blog

‘Honour’ score for ITV dramatisation of the murder of 20-year-old Banaz Mahmod

Oct 12, 2020

Matthew has written the score for a new two part drama for ITV starring Keeley Hawes that looks at the tragic ‘honour’ killing of 20-year-old Banaz Mahmod. Available to watch on the ITV hub: https://www.itv.com/hub/honour/2a7534

blog

Homemade – ‘Algoritmo’ for Netflix anthology series

Jul 1, 2020

Matthew has written the music for director Sebastián Lelio’s short film Algoritmo for Netflix anthology series Homemade: following stories during the COVID-19 pandemic in the form of short films created by 18 directors including Kristen Stewart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Paolo Sorrentino, Rachel Morrison and Gurinder Chadha

blog

Beethoven NEIN! – Barbican Weekender

Jan 30, 2020

In free performances across the Barbican’s Beethoven Weekender, Matthew Herbert turns Beethoven on his head via electronic installation and flashmob in a 21st-century response to one of his symphonies. Free and unticketed. 1st & 2nd Feb 2020. Find out more

blog

‘Speaker’ a new installation piece for Eufonia Festival

Nov 26, 2019

Matthew has created a new work entitled ‘Speaker’. The installation piece is being premiered at Eufonia Festival in Berlin: Speaker An Adam’s T5V monitor wants to talk to you about itself. A new installation by matthew herbert

blog

Music for documentary film The Cave

Nov 21, 2019

Matthew has written the music for a new documentary film The Cave from Oscar nominated director Feras Fayyad (Last Men in Aleppo): For besieged civilians, hope and safety lie underground inside the subterranean hospital known as the Cave, where pediatrician and managing physician Dr. Amani Ballour and her colleagues Samaher and...

blog

Music for new Sky original TV show Temple

Sep 12, 2019

Matthew has composed the music for a new Sky original TV series Temple starring Mark Strong, Carice van Houten and Daniel Mays. Episode one airs on Sky One on Sept 13th with the entire series streamable on the same day.

blog

World Of Sound – BBC Radio 4

Apr 11, 2019

The World Health Organisation has described noise pollution as an ‘underestimated threat’. At the same time we are entering an exciting era where sound is being used to unlock new frontiers, from art and music to data services and medicine. In Matthew Herbert’s World of Sound, the pioneering composer and...

blog

Gloria Bell – film soundtrack

Mar 6, 2019

Matthew has composed the soundtrack for the new film from Sebastian Lelio ‘Gloria Bell’ starring Julianne Moore. The soundtrack is released on 8th March. Listen Here

blog

The State Between Us – Brexit Big Band album details

Jan 15, 2019

The State Between Us is an album that contemplates what it means to be British in 2018. Its sixteen tracks reflect a journey on foot across Great Britain (and beyond) imagined in beautifully elegiac melodies carefully woven with site-specific recordings. World War II planes in flight rub against a Ford...

blog / Brexit Big Band

Brexit Big Band recording stage complete

Dec 1, 2018

Matthew launched the Brexit Big Band project on 29th March 2017, the same day that Theresa May triggered article 50 giving the UK a two year countdown to the day it is due to leave the EU. Since then then project has involved over a thousand contributors including musicians and...

blog

The Music: a novel through sound

Sep 17, 2018

Matthew’s latest album, which is in fact a book is available now. In the last hundred years – between the invention of the microphone and the computer – music has undergone a profound revolution. No longer confined to specifically designed instruments, we can now make music out of anything. Why...

blog

‘Disobedience’ US release & trailer

May 1, 2018

Matthew has created the music for the new film ‘Disobedience’ from director Sebastian Lelio to continue their partnership following the oscar winning ‘A Fantastic Woman’ earlier this year. Disobedience has already been released in the US and will be released in UK and Europe later this year.

blog

Response piece to Andreas Gursky’s ‘Untitled XIII’ with London Sinfonietta

Mar 6, 2018

Experience the work of Andreas Gursky from a new perspective, with live music by producer, writer and pioneering electronic musician Matthew Herbert. His latest London Sinfonietta commission more, more, moreresponds to Gursky’s Untitled XIII (2002), a fascinating and un-nerving photograph of a landfill site in Chimalhuacán, Mexico City. A comment on endless consumerism, more, more,...

blog

A Fantastic Woman wins best foreign language film at Oscars 2018

Mar 5, 2018

The Chilean film directed by Sebastian Lelio for which Matthew Herbert composed the music has won the Oscar for best foreign language film at 2018’s awards ceremony. More…

blog

Music for Gundog – Royal Court London

Feb 14, 2018

Matthew has written the music for a new play ‘Gundog’ that has just opened at the Royal Court Theatre in London which The Guardian describe as “a compelling, unforgiving glimpse into rural life, and one in which there is not a single fluffy, gambolling lamb in sight” read the full...

blog

The Politics of Listening at The British Library

Jan 18, 2018

Exploring the ethical front lines of sound. Matthew Herbert is joined by guests to explore the ethical front lines of sound. What is it acceptable to record and listen to? With live music and recordings, including some made in Manhattan on 11 September 2001. Part of a Season of Sound, celebrating...

blog / Brexit Big Band

Brexit Big Band in Brussels

Jan 18, 2018

Matthew brings the Brexit Big Band project to the very heart of the EU on Saturday 20th Jan for the closing concert of the 2018 Brussels Jazz Festival at Flagey. Tickets

blog

A Fantastic Woman – Soundtrack Album

Jan 3, 2018

The Golden Globe nominated and Academy Award shortlisted film ‘A Fantastic Woman’ from director Sebastian Lello is a getting an album release for the original soundtrack composed by Matthew Herbert. The album is released January 5th on Milan Records. More information via Pitchfork

blog / Brexit Big Band

Statement – Brexit Big Band

Nov 17, 2017

Following a variety of news stories about the Matthew Herbert’s Brexit Big Band project, I feel I should respond. Most importantly, this is not an anti-Brexit project. This is a project that, having accepted Brexit will occur, attempts to work out what a new kind of relationship with our European...

blog / Brexit Big Band

Brexit Big Band – Project Overview

Nov 15, 2017

Following two acclaimed big band albums, Matthew Herbert announces a third in response to Brexit. This time though, it’s being put together differently. It is a two year collaborative project right across Europe celebrating artistic and musical collaboration and communities across national borders. The project will begin in England at...

blog / Brexit Big Band

Brexit Big Band – Barbican Centre, London – 23rd Oct

Sep 22, 2017

Matthew is taking the new iteration of his big band project Matthew Herberts’ Brexit Big Band back to the Barbican Centre in London for a headline show on 23rd October. A typically ambitious collaborative journey and an ‘extended farewell party’, Herbert is encouraging the public to participate in an evolving...

blog

Disobedience – Musical score for new film by Sebastián Lelio

Sep 20, 2017

Matthew has composed the music for the new film Disobedience by Sebastián Lelio which stars Rachel McAdams, Rachel Weisz and Alessandro Nivola | The Guardian give a 4/5 review and write: ‘musical score by Matthew Herbert; its musing and almost playful woodwind figures cut against the expected sombreness and obvious melancholy to contribute to this sense of...

blog

Smell The DJ

Sep 20, 2017

To celebrate the launch of Arcade East, London College of Fashion’s new project space, musician and DJ Matthew Herbert’s new experimental music and scent performance Smell the DJ explores the masculine symbolism surrounding music and male perfumes. Inspired by the inflated masculine symbolism inherent in commercial men’s perfume bottle designs...

blog

ILK debut album ‘Y U’

Aug 17, 2017

Matthew has co-produced the debut album for London band ILK. Out now on Accidental Records. “At their first attempt ILK have created an artistic triumph sonically” The Line Of Best Fit 8/10 “Unusual art-pop stylings fuelled by jittery electronics” Clash Magazine “The combination of producer Matthew Herbert and London trio ILK may turn out to...

blog

New European Songbook – The Boat That Brought Me Here

Aug 11, 2017

Matthew has create a piece of music for the BBC’s New European Songbook entitled The Boat That Brought Me Here. The piece was born out of a collaboration with Iranian percussionist Arian Sadr who now lives in Manchester. The film maker Akinola ‘CrackStevens’ Davis then made a film to accompany...

blog

Fatherland – Album with Karl Hyde

Jun 20, 2017

Karl Hyde and Matthew Herbert have announced the release of a new album called Fatherland (Original Music from the Stage Show). The album is made up of music based on extracts from the script for Fatherland, a play written in collaboration by Karl Hyde, playwright Simon Stephens and Frantic Assembly’s Scott Graham...

blog

Music for ‘The Unknown’ at The Royal Court

Jun 20, 2017

Matthew has written the music for a new play The Unknown by EV Crowe. It is being performed at The Royal Court theatre’s new experimental design space The Site.

blog

Music For A Busy City

Jun 20, 2017

For 2017’s Manchester International Festival Matthew has joined 5 other composers in each creating a new piece of work using the sounds of the city… Music for a Busy City takes six leading composers out of the concert hall and into Manchester, making music for the spaces through which we pass...

blog

A Fantastic Woman – a film by Sebastián Lelio

Feb 8, 2017

Matthew has created the music for a new film by Sebastián Lelio called Una Mujer Fantastica (A Fantastic Woman). The world premiere is taking place on at the 67th Berlinale Sunday, February 12, 2017 in the Berlinale Palast. Other performances at the Berlinale are: 13:02:17 12:30 Zoo Palast 1 13:02:17 15:00 Friedrichstadtpalast 13:02:17 21:30 Odeon Cinema...

blog

Fatherland

Nov 18, 2016

Fatherland – a bold new theatre show created by Scott Graham from Frantic Assembly, Underworld’s Karl Hyde and playwright Simon Stephens, focusing on contemporary fatherhood in all its complexities and contradictions. Inspired by conversations with fathers and sons from the trio’s home towns in the heart of the country, Fatherland is a survey of...

blog

Requiem for BBC Radio 3

Sep 30, 2016

Commissioned by BBC Radio 3 Matthew’s piece Requiem deconstructs Beethoven along with the instruments of a traditional string quartet. Matthew says: ‘for some time, i’ve been trying to make sense of why we’re not clearer about the recent revolution in music. we used to need musical instruments but now we...

blog

PalazzoReale – Installation for Alcantara

Sep 29, 2016

As part of an exhibition at the PalazzoReale in Milan Matthew has produced a talking chair that when you sit on it, it tells you how it was made by the voices of the people that made it as well as playing sounds from the factory where it was made....

blog

A NUDE – Live premiere at The Roundhouse – 10th August

Jul 26, 2016

Ivor Novello nominated DJ and musician Matthew Herbert brings Matthew Herbert presents A NUDE to the Roundhouse as part of a series of immersive gigs in and around Ron Arad’s 360° installation, Curtain Call. The piece will see Matthew collaborate with a renowned choreographer and will feature a group of dancers. This brand new piece is...

blog

Neue Meister – New composition and performance

Jun 14, 2016

On 20th June 2016 Matthew will perform a new composition alongside the Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin. The new work is for orchestra, electronics, water, money and whistles on the theme of crossing borders. Tickets and more information available here.

blog

New Album: A NUDE – the perfect body

Jun 7, 2016

Matthew Herbert has announced details of an extraordinary new solo project inspired by the human body. The nude has been a primary form of expression for visual art for centuries. However there has never been a musical nude in its purest form. For The Nude (The Perfect Body), Matthew Herbert...

blog

Hear What You Eat – Whitstable Biennale 2016

Jun 7, 2016

On Sunday 12th June Matthew will host a special dinner as part of Whitstable Biennale. Tickets are available now. Whitstable based musician and composer Matthew Herbert is writing a book titledThe Music (published by Unbound, in partnership with Whitstable Biennale, 2016), about the formidable and profound revolution in music that is “somewhere...

blog

UK entry for The New Shakespeare Songbook

Apr 26, 2016

The BBC have commissioned Matthew to write the UK entry for the European Broadcasting Union’s ‘New Shakespeare Songbook’ which has been created as part of the 400 year Shakespeare birthday celebrations. The piece is entitled ‘Tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow’ and takes the text from Act 5 of Macbeth. The...

blog

‘Chorus’ installation for the Wellcome Collections new exhibition ‘This Is A Voice’

Apr 12, 2016

Matthew has created a new installation piece for the This Is A Voice exhibition at the Wellcome Collection. ‘Chorus’ asks visitors to sing a single note to add to a chorus of voices, forming an ever-expanding sound installation that plays in the exhibition and on the Wellcome Collection website. The...

blog

Edible Sound: DJ Experiment at the Science Gallery

Mar 15, 2016

Through a series of experiments, Herbert has created audio recordings of ingredients widely-used in processed food, etching them, via laser-cutting technology, onto various consumable items. The outcome is an assortment of edible records that will be played on the night. The audience will be invited to reflect on the foods...

blog

Residency at Metal, Liverpool

Nov 26, 2015

Matthew begins a week long residency at the Metal arts centre in Liverpool on 14th Dec to compose and discuss his next project ‘Nude’. ‘Nude’ will reimagine the formal and conceptual frameworks of ‘the nude’ in art and society, exploring its contemporary aesthetic, philosophical and ethical landscapes. The week will...

blog

The Unknown – a radio play to mark the anniversary of the reunification of Germany

Nov 26, 2015

The division of Germany begins and ends in the ether. Immediately after the Second World War, the Allies took over the broadcasting authority in their respective spheres of influence, but radio waves know no borders. Matthew Herbert has composed the music for a new radio play to mark the 25th...

blog

The Music – an album that is a book

Aug 24, 2015

Matthew Herbert is pleased to announce that his next record after The Shakes will in fact be a book. The book/record is called The Music. You may have heard him talking about the book in the press but finally it is ready to launch. The book is a description of a...

blog

Talk at Future Fest

Mar 11, 2015

Sat 14th March Matthew will be talking at Future Fest about the online virtual country of unlimited immigration – Country X. Future Fest features an array of thought provoking conversations and speakers this year including Edward Snowden, Vivienne Westwood, Jon Ronson and the Green’s Natalie Bennett to name but a...

blog

the recording

Sep 9, 2014

from the 18th september matthew herbert and his band will take up residence in a specially designed studio in the carpentry of the deutsche opera berlin. their goal: to compose, record and mix an album from scratch within a week. we will invite the public and special guests –...

blog

matthew plays the british library sound archive for boiler room

May 14, 2014

blog

new piece by matthew premiere’s friday in oxford

May 12, 2014

the debut of matthew’s piece called 20 pianos is at oxford contemporary music festival this friday. it is part of the prs new music biennial and is a piece made out of 20 pianos from around the world, from a prison piano to the queen mother’s piano, from a forgotten,...

blog

matthew on BBC radio 3 talking about his studio

May 9, 2014

matthew is a guest on hear and now on saturday 9th may talking about the studio space he works in. more details, and listen again here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/galleries/p01ws36l

blog

the crackle, matthew’s opera opens on saturday

Apr 1, 2014

matthew’s debut opera inspired by the faust myth opens on saturday april 5th at the linbury theatre, royal opera house, covent garden. it features an amazing giant musical instrument built by andy cavortora, a graduate of MIT media lab. audience members will also be invited to leave their phones on...

blog

‘The End Of Silence’ – conversation with Sebastian Meyer

Nov 19, 2013

Transcript of a skype conversation between Matthew Herbert and the war photographer Sebastian Meyer who made the 5 second recording that made up the album ‘The End Of Silence’. This is the image that Sebastian took at the same time the recording was made… MH One of the things that...

blog

hejira album released

Nov 7, 2013

the debut album by hejira, produced by matthew herbert is out now on accidental records. The debut album from London four piece Hejira is out now and available on CD, double 12” vinyl and digital formats. The Matthew Herbert produced album ‘Prayer Before Birth’ plays out like an ensemble-piece, a...

blog

matthew herbert quartet UK premiere at London Jazz Festival

Aug 29, 2013

matthew herbert and his quartet will present the uk live premiere of their acclaimed album ‘The End of Silence’ at the london jazz festival on november 22nd. more info here: http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/matthew-herbert-78722

Blog

blog

PHD thesis – Listen while you work: Negotiating Power and Meaning in Post-Concrete Music

Sep 14, 2021

Matthew recently completed a PHD thesis which can be read here: https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/8×378/listen-while-you-work-negotiating-power-and-meaning-in-post-concrete-music

blog

Stone Techno

Sep 14, 2021

Matthew will take part in the New Now festival for Digital Arts on Friday 17th September at The Mixing Plant at Zollverein. More: https://newnow-festival.com/en/kuenstler-innen/matthew-herbert “This summer, Matthew Herbert will sample rocks and coal seams from Zeche Zollverein and create a new sample library from the soundscape of the underground mining world: Literally excavated sound, a...

blog

Original score for new TV series ‘The Beast Must Die’

Jun 21, 2021

blog

New Herbert album ‘Musca’ announced

May 19, 2021

blog

Vinyl reissues of Bodily Functions and Around The House

Apr 29, 2021

blog

You’re Welcome Here (Brexit Edition)

Feb 8, 2021

blog

Premiere of two new pieces performed by the London Sinfonietta

Nov 9, 2020

blog

Score for new film: DIS[INTEGRATION]

Nov 2, 2020

blog

‘Honour’ score for ITV dramatisation of the murder of 20-year-old Banaz Mahmod

Oct 12, 2020

blog

‘Schwanengesang’ Schubert’s final song cycle… re-imagined

Oct 12, 2020

Matthew has contributed to a new project ‘Schwanengesang’, a re-imagining of Schubert’s final song cycle for Pin Drop / United We Stream. The project is raising funds for the disaster in Beirut. More: https://www.berlin-buehnen.de/en/schedule/schwanengesang/events/228116/ MATTHEW HERBERT // KIM-LILLIAN STREBEL AND SETH TROXLER // SAM BOWER TAREK YAMANI // ARTISTS FROM NICO AND THE NAVIGATORS // BORN...

blog

‘In Black & White’ a piece for orchestra and printer

Oct 12, 2020

New composition ‘In Black and White’ for orchestra and printer. Premiered in Frankfurt performed by HR Symphony Orchestra conducted by Baldur Bronnimann

blog

Homemade – ‘Algoritmo’ for Netflix anthology series

Jul 1, 2020

older

Blog Categories

Recent Posts