Those of us who are musically inclined find it hard to resist tapping on an empty pipe or an exposed bell, just to hear the sound. Matmos (Drew Daniel and M.C. Schmidt) have been doing such things for years and recording the results, from the pots and pans of their childhood to “the metallic gates around a tomb in an underground crypt.” Over time, these artists have amassed a vast library of sounds; including one set comprised of washing machine sounds (Ultimate Care II) and one of plastic (Plastic Anniversary). The new set is metal-based, and looks back on their lives while acknowledging their mortality. To our delight, their initial pot and pan joy has survived intact.
Metallic Life Review is also an album of distinct sides: the first was meticulously created,…