Release Date: 27 June 2025
Song Count: 11
Duration: 44 minutes, 57 seconds
Rating: 6.2/10
Description:
Today's musical ventures land us in very experimental waters with the album Clay, a collaboration between producer Matthew Herbert and singer Momoko Gill, both from the UK. Now, here is the fun things about this one: while it's at least usually evident in which rough direction albums go musically, that is not the case with Clay - I legitimately struggled to pinpoint exact labels that fit the sonical experience the record offers. From analogue and digital sounds being meshed together to influences from all sorts of different places coming together, there's no one straightforward way to describe what these 11 songs get one to sense.
The one thing stays consistent throughout the record is the general mood induced by the unorthodox rhythms being combined with Momoko's gentle singing - it's an alien yet tranquil soundscape that lightly floats around in a distant corner on its own, waiting to be spotted by lone listeners. The vocals span very well across the indescribable instrumental compositions, the two sides joining forces to create a particular atmosphere that simply cannot be replicated in the form that Clay does. The tracks generally vary in terms of sparking and upholding interest, from feeling perfectly ambient yet esoteric enough in its sound to stick out to being rather idle and forgettable pieces.
Though this is not a record I would return to anytime soon, it is most certainly one that deserves a bunch of respect for its innovation and unique musical nature - it is clear that not only is this far from the first ride on the rodeo of Herbert and Gill, but that they have more than enough potential and skill to go really expansive and artsy with the works they make, as displayed with Clay. There's not much else to say here other than this turning up to be quite the fascinating listen, especially for those seeking something new and fresh that defies the boundaries of musical genres to do its own thing.