Return to Archive

{{Infobox album

| name = Return to Archive

| type = studio

| artist = Matmos

| cover = Matmos - Return to Archive.png

| alt =

| released = {{start date|2023|11|3}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre =

| length = 41:18

| label = Smithsonian Folkways

| producer =

Drew Daniel
Martin Schmidt

| prev_title = Regards/Ukłony dla Bogusław Schaeffer

| prev_year = 2022

| next_title = Metallic Life Review

| next_year = 2025

}}

Return to Archive is the fourteenth studio album by electronic duo Matmos, released on November 3, 2023. It uses non-music material sourced from the Smithsonian Folkways collection in its composition; the album itself was commissioned to commemorate Folkways' 75th anniversary. {{Cite web |last1=Butchard |first1=Skye |title=The Quietus - Reviews - Matmos |work=The Quietus |date=2023-11-01 |url=https://thequietus.com/articles/33553-matmos-return-to-archive-review |language=en-us |access-date=2023-11-08 |df=mdy-all |archive-date=November 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231108151152/https://thequietus.com/articles/33553-matmos-return-to-archive-review |url-status=live }}

Background

September 18, 2023, Matmos announced the release of their fourteenth studio album, along with the first single "Mud-Dauber Wasp".{{cite web|url=https://thequietus.com/news/matmos-unveil-new-album-return-to-archive/|title=Matmos Unveil New Album|website=The Quietus|last=Eede|first=Christian|date=September 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240806095225/https://thequietus.com/news/matmos-unveil-new-album-return-to-archive/|archive-date=August 6, 2024|access-date=August 6, 2024|url-status=live}}

Critical reception

{{Music ratings

| MC = 78/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/return-to-archive/matmos/critic-reviews |title=Critic Reviews for Return to Archive |publisher=Metacritic |accessdate=August 6, 2024 |archive-date=November 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231108151153/https://www.metacritic.com/music/return-to-archive/matmos/critic-reviews |url-status=live }}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/return-to-archive-mw0004084829 |last=Phares |first=Heather |title=Matmos - Return to Archive |work=AllMusic |accessdate=November 8, 2023 |archive-date=November 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231108151156/https://www.allmusic.com/album/return-to-archive-mw0004084829 |url-status=live }}

| rev2 = Pitchfork

| rev2score = 7.4/10{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/matmos-return-to-archive/ |last=Blackwell |first=Matthew |title=Matmos: Return to Archive |publisher=Pitchfork |date=November 9, 2023 |accessdate=February 20, 2024}}

| rev3 = Under the Radar

| rev3score = 6/10{{cite magazine|url=https://undertheradarmag.com/reviews/return_to_archive_matmos|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103230519/https://undertheradarmag.com/reviews/return_to_archive_matmos|title=Under the Radar Review|magazine=Under the Radar|last=Trunick|first=Austin|date=November 3, 2023|archive-date=November 3, 2023|access-date=August 6, 2024|url-status=live}}

| noprose= yes

}}

Return to Archive was met with "generally favorable" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 78, based on 7 reviews.

Track listing

{{Track listing

| headline = Return to Archive track listing

| all_writing = Drew Daniel and M. C. Schmidt

| title1 = Good Morning Electronics

| length1 = 1:05

| title2 = Injection Basic Sound

| length2 = 2:55

| title3 = Mud-Dauber Wasp

| length3 = 3:35

| title4 = Music or Noise?

| length4 = 4:12

| title5 = Why?

| note5 = featuring Evicshen

| length5 = 4:03

| title6 = Lend Me Your Ears

| length6 = 3:46

| title7 = Return to Archive

| note7 = featuring Aaron Dilloway

| length7 = 13:28

| title8 = The Way Japanese Beetles Sound to a Rose

| length8 = 1:28

| title9 = Going to Sleep

| note9 = featuring Aaron Dilloway

| length9 = 6:44

| total_length = 41:18

}}

Personnel

Matmos

Drew Daniel – production, programming (all tracks); DJ (track 4)
M. C. Schmidt – production (all tracks), programming (2–7, 9)

References

External links

{{official website|1=https://matmos.bandcamp.com/album/return-to-archive}}

Category:2023 albums

Category:Matmos albums

Category:Smithsonian Folkways albums