Matthew Herbert’s name has become synonymous with experimental music over the last decade or so: he’s made music out of pig bones (One Pig), exploding bombs (The End Of Silence) and even an issue of the Guardian.
It’s enough to make you forget that Herbert has a past steeped in dance music, and The Shakes – his first release as HERBERT since 2006’s Scale – comes billed as his attempt to “seduce the listener back to the dancefloor”.
That’s not to say it’s without its experimental tendencies. Inspired by the emotions associated with raising children in an unstable world, Herbert went as far as to sample UK protest marches on Strong, play a piano from Wormwood Scrubs prison on Smart and buy used bullets and shells from eBay in order to create sounds for Safety.
Have a listen using the player below and let us know your thoughts.