Temporal Waves

Temporal Waves is a new project from renowned Canadian tabla player Shawn Mativetsky, transporting the tabla into a rich electronic sound world. One glance at the dystopian imagery and Atari-era typefaces of its Sarper Baran-designed sleeve, and one knows that this is quite the departure. On this self-titled debut of his new moniker, Shawn’s tabla is bathed in the neon glow of analog synthesizers, the woozy warp of hand-manipulated tapes, and the electric patter of drum machines. Spanning crepuscular murk to widescreen elegies, Temporal Waves is an excursion deep into aural science fiction. Ominous arpeggiations swoop in like robotic birds of prey, as robust sawtooth chords trace a dim, smoggy horizon. And as Omnichord trickles into artificial landscapes, tabla punctuates the scenery.

Temporal Waves’ orientation toward yesterday's futuristic sounds certainly isn't superficial anemoia, it isn't even unadulterated nostalgia. Grounded in lived experience, the gravitation toward these sonorities and images connects to the underlying themes of the album on a fundamental level. The fascination with antiquated machinery expresses a longing for the more innocent futures depicted in 1980s popular culture, a stark contrast to the nihilistic question marks of today’s uncertain forecasts. The record quietly outlines a redemptive arc, moving from the grim and very real foreboding of impending climate apocalypse and accelerationist capitalism to a more hopeful space where humanity discovers a more symbiotic relationship between nature and technology.

Featuring production and performance contributions from Jace Lasek of the Besnard Lakes, the album was mastered by respected synthwave denizen, Jeppe Hasseriis (AKA Dynatron).

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"One of the most unique projects that debuted this year, tabla and percussion maestro Shawn Mativetsky’s synth project, Temporal Waves, brilliantly fuses the organic sounds of the tabla with cinematic, neon noir synthetic soundscapes, resulting in a captivating and deeply engrossing aural exploration. Shawn’s masterful and exhilarating percussive work creates the illusion of having four hands and arms, reminiscent of the Hindu god Ganesha, who is symbolically connected to the tabla. His self-titled record also utilized analog production techniques, adding further to the authenticity of his project." - Absynth's Top Releases of 2024

“A highly creative outing that flirts with ambient, electronic, synthwave and world fusion, Mativetsky’s adoration of Indian classical music is certainly present, and the healthy dose of analog synth sure does make for an atypical and fascinating body of work.” - Tom Haugen, Take Effect

"Holy hell. This album is at once relaxing and zen like, and then it slaps you in the face with rushing beats and soaring synths. Tabla + Synthwave = AWESOME!" - Jules Fawkes, Nightride.fm

“One of my favorite records of the year so far. Truly breathtaking, visionary, immersive and transcendent. The perfect marriage of synths and electronics with organic musical bravado like no other.” - C Z A R I N A

“…a probably long overdue take on electronic music…Defo one of the most intriguing ChillOut albums we've come across in a while. Highly recommended!” - Baze Djunkiii, nitestylez.de

“the jaw-dropping juxtaposition of a tabla master discovering synthwave” - Kaarin Zoe Lee, Nightride.fm

“Mativetsky expertly blends the versatility of his instrument with multiple orchestrations of tape, synthesizer effects, and drum-machine grooves for the duration of this extraordinary project. … Whether you are a fan of the musical stylings from which the tabla originates or you lived your formative years in the early days of electronica, listening to this album will give you a lot of joy.” - Kyle Cherwinski, Percussive Notes

“It’s a great addition to any ambient cassette fan’s collection.” - Mike Seay, The Tape Player

“Stick this on some bassy speakers and have a blast from futures past.” Jim Hickson, Songlines

“Here sonic atmospheres are dominated by retro analog synthesizer sounds and aesthetics, by drum machine and electronic effects, all framing his masterful tabla playing. … Temporal Waves is a touching nostalgic look back to his youthful days steeped in the DIY electronic music scene that congregated around “tracker” software and the music of early video games. … This attractive new release is yet another step in his Indo-electronic journey, one which has substantial crossover appeal.” - Andrew Timar, The WholeNote

“Temporal Waves’ self-titled album is a listening experience that rewards a curious mind. The way in which it layers sounds and combines the organic nature of the tabla drum with synthetic elements results in music that is intriguing, beautiful and continually enjoyable.” - Karl Magi, absynth.space

“Shawn Mativetsky has wonderfully moved the tabla to completely new realms. One of few creative musicians finding a sublime melodiousness in the thoughtfulness of beginning new directions. … The most notable impression is the august equipollence of Shawn Mativetsky's tabla and the sonic landscape it plays across. All aspects of Temporal Waves beautifully churn with mesmerizing fluidity.” - Ken Lower, Lost in a Sea of Sound

“This album not only highlights his exceptional musicality but also his insatiable curiosity and ability to reinvent himself, cementing his place in the musical vanguard with Temporal Waves.” - Miguel Castillo, La Caverna

"This traditional Indian drum blends perfectly with classic electronic elements and synthesizers … a magnificent instrumental arrangement that shouldn’t be overlooked." - IndieTapes

Montreal's Shawn Mativetsky has long been celebrated as one of Canada's leading ambassadors of the tabla, and next to his exceptional musicianship, it's his unquenchable curiosity that one most frequently hears praised. Mativetsky is an accomplished practitioner of Indian classical music, but is equally embedded in the contemporary music realm, where he has established himself as both a champion of living composers and a generous collaborator to the likes of Tim Brady, Nicole Lizée, and Dinuk Wijeratne. An avid improviser, he can also be found accompanying countless other artists across and beyond the spectrum between jazz, pop, and global traditions.

This may be his first foray into electronic music within recent memory, but anyone familiar with Mativetsky's output will tell you that he's no tourist anywhere he goes; his roots always run deep. Spending his youth steeped in the 8-bit timbres of the Atari 400, Nintendo Entertainment System, and early PCs, the 1990s saw him actively involved in the DIY electronic music scene that congregated around 'tracker' software, and was a key member of the online tracker collective NOiSE. In the early 2000s, he performed with Indo-electronic project, Ramasutra, and for the past several years, has been collaborating with live coder David Ogborn in their electronic music duo, very long cat.

Linear Fade Records was founded by tabla player Shawn Mativetsky as a launchpad for his Temporal Waves project. Dedicated to innovative electronic music with an organic, human touch, with one foot in the past and one in the future, we offer a vision of what is yet to come, through the eyes of the past. Our music does not seek to fit into genre boxes, but shares territory with synthwave, ambient, lo-fi, contemporary, and experimental music.

Join us in reminiscing about the future.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.