Temporal Waves – Tablawave Synth Heaven

Album Review: “Temporal Waves” by Temporal Waves

Written By: Dan Eachus

I almost don’t know how to begin this review. This album is one of the very best albums that I have ever heard. I had to rewrite this review three times just to properly give justice to the masterpiece that is this Temporal Waves album. The “Pure Moods” nostalgia that this album brought me was almost unable to put into words, however I still have an album review to write, so here it goes.

Temporal Waves’ self-titled debut album is a sonic odyssey that defies categorization, yet seamlessly weaves together disparate threads of electronic music, ambient textures, and tabla-driven rhythms. This innovative project, born from the mind of renowned Canadian tabla player Shawn Mativetsky, is an aural tapestry that transports listeners to a futuristic world of neon-lit landscapes, dystopian cities, and ancient machinery.

The album’s cover art, designed by Sarper Baran, sets the tone for the sonic journey ahead and is absolutely amazing. The Atari-era typefaces and dystopian imagery evoke a sense of nostalgia for a bygone era, yet also hint at the uncertainty and unease that pervades our contemporary world. This tension is expertly captured in the music, which navigates the crepuscular murk of “I Remember” to the widescreen elegies of “Eclipse of an Urban Dystopia.”

Mativetsky’s tabla playing is the constant thread throughout the album, imbuing each track with a sense of rhythmic urgency and cultural depth. The instrument’s natural resonance is expertly paired with the analog warmth of synthesizers, hand-manipulated tapes, and drum machines. The result is a sound that is both futuristic and rooted in tradition.

One of the standout aspects of Temporal Waves is its ability to evoke a sense of nostalgia for a bygone era. Mativetsky’s fascination with antiquated machinery and retro-futuristic imagery is not simply a nod to the past; it’s a commentary on the ways in which our collective nostalgia for the past can inform our understanding of the present. The album’s exploration of 1980s popular culture, from video games to sci-fi films, serves as a powerful metaphor for our own relationship with technology and the natural world.

Throughout the album, Mativetsky’s collaborators add their own unique perspectives to the mix. Jace Lasek of the Besnard Lakes brings his signature atmospheric textures to tracks like “Cyclotron”, and “Data Cassette Sunrise” and “Cortical Network Oscillations,” while respected synthwave denizen Jeppe Hasseriis (aka Dynatron) masterfully shapes the album’s soundscapes.

The album’s tracklist is a testament to Mativetsky’s boundless creativity and curiosity. From the hypnotic repetition of “Interlude I – Skyline” to the euphoric synths of “Luminous Objects,” each track presents a unique sonic landscape. The album’s centerpiece, “Eclipse of an Urban Dystopia,” is a masterclass in building tension and release, with its pulsing arpeggios and sawtooth chords conjuring images of a cityscape in ruins.

As the album draws to a close, Temporal Waves presents a series of more introspective tracks that explore the relationship between humanity and technology. “Water Temple” features haunting processing and eerie ambiance, and reminiscing of a classic Legend of Zelda soundtrack while “Data Cassette Sunrise” is an energetic blend of intense tabla playing blended with analog synths and electric guitars to create a nostalgia-tinged ode to the early days of personal computing. The album concludes with “Postlude,” a two minute perfect conclusion that combines pulsing rhythms with soaring synths and Mativetsky’s virtuosic tabla playing.

In conclusion, Temporal Waves’ self-titled debut is an astonishing achievement that defies easy categorization. It’s an album that rewards close listening and repeated spins, revealing new layers and textures with each successive listen. With its innovative blend of electronic music, ambient textures, and tabla-driven rhythms, Temporal Waves is an essential listen for anyone interested in exploring the boundaries of contemporary music.

I hope through this review I fully portrayed just how awesome this album is. Temporal Waves’ self-titled debut album is out now on People Places Records in collaboration with Linear Fade Records. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience one of the most innovative and captivating albums of 2024.

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