Record review: Matmos, "Supreme Balloon"

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By DOUG WALLEN / Philadelphia Inquirer

3 stars

If the long-running electronic duo Matmos — Martin Schmidt and Drew Daniel — has veered toward arty abstraction in the past, its seventh album is a pleasant surprise. “Supreme Balloon” is a ticklish feat of rubbery soul and playful melodies, relying on short songs in all but one instance: the 24-minute title track, which starts at a low hum, hits upon a busy flutter in the middle, and ends with deconstructive blurts of synthesizer. Otherwise, squishy gems like “Polychords” and “Exciter Lamp” keep us nodding and tapping our feet through the duo’s cryptic collage of sounds. Matmos always enjoys a challenge, whether collaborating with Bjork or recording a live album. Here, the duo successfully tackles cuddly electronic pop worthy of Hot Chip.