Saltillo - Ganglion CD Suspicious Records SUS002

Gothtronic.com review:

It was a long wait after the outstanding " Made Into Itself"-album by Leaf. Fortunately, in about a week Suspicious Records will release their second offering under the monniker 'Nighttime music ~ dirty beats'. What will that mean? In this case: the debut album " Ganglion" by Saltillo. An album which numerous people are waiting for, as Saltillo is a project by Menton John Matthews III, who you should better know as Avis, the brain behind Sunday Munich.

It's not sure what happened to that band, but Saltillo might just be here to take their place. First, because the world around SM is rather silent, second the fact that Saltillo sounds like an upgraded Sunday Munich, with better production, better songs and a better atmosphere. The help of Sarah is also included, making this a worthy purchase for Munich-fans.

As you can read on the Saltillo website, Matthews is rather fond of film scores, and by combining these spheres with violins, pianos and other 'classical' instruments, "Ganglion" is an album combining various genres, in about the same way Leaf did on their album. The years of experience Matthews has, served him well and make this album a very strong offering, with only a few slips. The way in which movie themes set the sphere in a movie is about the same as this album, even though "Ganglion" is faster and not intended to play in the back, even though this album fits you slow and dreamy mood as well. Combining these instruments with electronics works very well, as "A Simple Test" proves. Do you remember "Phone" by Sunday Munich? Think of this song, but 10 steps forward.

The combination of warm electronics and female vocals is proven in the past, but one could also think of combining these with vocal samples ( "Hair on the Head of John the Baptist") or violins ( "A Necessary End"). It are these combinations, this mixture of genres that made me compare this work with Leaf, even though Saltillo doesn't experiment with hiphop. Vocals are hardly used anyhow, most of the work is instrumental which leads to some really wonderful moments. Listen to the last 30 seconds of "The Opening" for example, or the entire "Praise".

It is hard to form a real solid opinion as I am not really an expert in this field, but I can tell you that you will like this release if you're digging the Leaf album or a are a fan of Sunday Munich in general. Some more fieldwork is always welcome, so if you're looking for samples, you can check out this website where you can preview the entire album for free.

-Eelco


Connexion Bizarre review:

Second release for Hive's sister label dedicated to beats of a more narcotic, head-nodding variety and, if this the benchmark they're working to, may there be many more. Saltillo is a beautiful, melancholy mess of trip-hop beats, skittery breaks and an army of classical strings, piano and guitar. A lot of trip-hop and hip-hop tends to focus on the vibe, cutting down to a minimal rhythm and bass sound, but Saltillo goes the other way, layering an impressive array of sounds over his beats and focusing on really strong song writing. Opening track "A Necessary End" sets the tone perfectly at it layers cello and viola before introducing a rolling beat, piano and wispy, loss-filled female vocals. The song progresses, gaining momentum as breaks flutter around the tripping rhythm and the string section gets faster, aggressively sad like the penetrating strings of the "Requiem for a Dream" score (aka the music from "The Lord of the Rings" trailers). The music never sits still as it confidently builds to an emotional crescendo before vanishing in a sustained, female note.

This tour-de-force of a track gives way to a more conventional number in "Giving In", a dusky torch-song tweaked with aching slide guitar and subtle turntablism. Clear female vocals intone a genuine sense of longing, like a softer Sarah McLachlan. "Remember Me" picks up with a DJ Shadow-esque sitar sound and build into a frenzy of splashing cymbal-hits and piano while "A Simple Test" hits drum-and bass-speeds peppered with strings and more of those clear haunting vocals.

Track after track, Saltillo combines the different elements listed into something memorable and moving. No song feels lost or over-similar to the others yet all are unmistakably part of the same whole - even as it rolls from the mild Aphex Twinisms of "Backyard Pond" to the elegiac "Grafting". This is an album that deserves mainstream recognition as it would be lapped up by DJ Shadow fans and those unmoved by hip-hop's lack of emotion or by rap vocals.

Twelve tracks of strings, beats, breaks, beauty and sorrow. Unreservedly recommended.

9.5 / 10

-Christopher Fry


Side Line Magazine review:

The brain behind Saltillo belongs to noone else than Menton J. Matthews, member of that other pearl Sunday Munich. With his solo album “Ganglion” under the Saltillo moniker Matthews goes further than what he did with Sunday Munich. Originally planned to be an instrumental Sunday Munich EP, “Ganglion” brings massive trip hop beats, hard and soft, spread over twelve tracks with the odd downtempo instrumentals thrown in between. What impressed me the most is that Matthews is also responsible for playing almost every single acoustic instrument on this release, and there is a huge list per track available. An impressive achievement that luckily enough also results in very attractive compositions that although not obvious do make you wonder for more. My appetite has been wet, bring that dish my way!

-BVI


Elektrauma (Germany) review:

Die Melancholie, wenn man der Geschichtsschreibung glauben darf, ist seit Beginn des 17. Jhds die Krankheit, die der Mensch benötigt, um künstlerisch tätig zu sein. Scheinbar hat der Amerikaner Menton J. Matthews eine ganze Menge davon. Denn das unter dem Pseudonym Saltillo erschienende Debüt „Ganglion“ fängt perfekt dieses Gefühl unbestimmter Traurigkeit und unsäglichen Weltschmerzes ein. Dass auf dem Cover eine Geige zu sehen ist, kommt nicht von Ungefähr. Denn Multiinstrumentalist Menton hat alles eingebaut, was das gesamte Inventar möglicher Klangerzeugung zu bieten hat: Geige, Cello, Banjo, Klavier, Gitarre und nicht zu vergessen elektronische Instrumente. Die Synthesizer und Breakbeats sind das Fundament, auf denen verschlungene und düster gehaltene Melodien, sowie ungewohnte und spannende Sprachsamples sich zu einem in Violett geschmückten Kosmos entfalten. Die ausgefeilten Melodiebögen bieten einen weichen Kontrapunkt zu de harten Breakbeats, die oftmals in die Stücke eingebaut. Der Opener „A Necessary End“ zeigt sofort die Qualität von Saltillo: Geigen künden von Vergangenheit, werden aber durch das Drumprogramming in die Gegenwart geholt. Der nächste Song „Giving In“ weist mit der voller Schmerz singenden Frau ganz klar auf Portishead. Es gibt noch vieles zu erkunden auf „Ganglion“, aber am schönsten sind eben jene Songs, die sich in ihrem Weltschmerz nicht mehr aufhalten lassen. „I’m On The Wrong Side“ und „002 F#m“ beschließen das Album und sind sozusagen das Sahnehäubchen auf ein beachtliches Werk, das hoffentlich auch hierzulande ein wenig Anerkennung bekommt.

6 / 6

-Nuuc


Grave Concerns review:

On the surface, Saltillo's new album seems like fairly unremarkable if technically flawless trip-hop, but a closer listen reveals a stunning piece of artistry that's more noteworthy for its instrumentation than for its use of rhythm or melody. True, "Giving In" is pretty standard trip-hop, and the blues and gospel loops on "A Hair On The Head Of John The Baptist" and "Praise" are mellow and funky without being particularly groundbreaking. Saltillo's Menton J. Matthews III is more than just a breakbeat programmer with a fondness for old vinyl, however; he's a musical renaissance man in every sense of the word, and his incorporation of violins, violas, and guitars alongside the more familiar scratches and samples gives his music a sort of southern country feel that sets it apart from other trip-hop and jungle artists. Who on earth would think to combine chilled out breakbeats with banjos? Not only did Matthews put the idea to the test, with "Remember Me?" he pulls it off beautifully. "Grafting" is thicker and darker, but no less lovely, incorporating bits of Hindi chanting with cello and violin, while "A Necessary End" and "A Simple Test" add some lovely piano lines to the mix. While Saltillo's sound works better as laid back background music, fans of edgier fare will at least enjoy "Backyard Pond," with its chopped up drum 'n' bass and numerous samples. Matthews' biggest strength, though, is that his experimental approach towards instrumental arrangements has resulted ultimately in a collection of very pleasant songs. Whether or not you appreciate the the artistry that goes into his compositions, you'll undoubtedly find yourself nodding your head to the rhythm of the drum track on warm, humid summer evenings.

-Julie Johnson


Vital Weekly review:

Something not very typical today is the trip-hop style. That music was interesting to me when Portishead released their album 'Dummy', but the style itself never really caught my attention much. Anyway, what Saltillo aka Menton J. Matthews III has done here is very charming and amusing for listening. He takes trip-hop mostly as a base for the music and besides the programing-electronics there are a bunch of other instruments in the music: violin, cello, viola, piano, bass, drums, guitar and banjo. The classical instruments and how they're used here fit perfectly in the atmosphere of melancholy, so characteristic for this trip-hop related album. Sometimes the rhythm and the music is too downtempo, as in 'Giving in', while in 'A simple test' it's much faster, a crossover of drum n bass and jungle, still keeping the melancholic feeling, that's what the trip-hop base in this music is for. Most of the songs, some with female and male vocals and lyrics or speaking voice samples, are arranged in the evident Saltillo style, with sharp beats, clever (often abrasive) rhythms and melodies and the ever present bitter-sweet atmosphere of melancholy to lose yourself in, not praising it, but just immersing it. The production is along the high standards of today's electronic (dance) music. The last two shorter songs are mostly piano and guitar plus vocals, a perfect fade out on this highly affective album.

-B.R.


Etherreal Magazine (France) review:

Il y a tout juste un an, on parlait de Leaf, dont le premier album inaugurait la structure Suspicious Records, division du label américain Hive Records. Il s'agissait alors d'un hip-hop hybride que l'on comparait à Sixtoo, DJ Shadow ou Third Eye Foundation. Un an après, voici la deuxième sortie de Suspicious, et une fois encore, une grosse surprise, pas vraiment en terme de nouveauté musicale mais en tant que maîtrise du sujet.

Saltillo est le projet de Menton J. Matthews III, nom étrange qui sévit en parallèle au sein de Sunday Munich avec son épouse que l'on retrouve à quelques reprises au chant. On a déjà situé Suspicious, et plaçons-y maintenant cet artiste qui se produit ici aux violon, violoncelle, viole de gambe, banjo, piano, guitare, basse, percussion. Multi-instrumentiste de talent, Saltillo mêle avec aisance une acoustique classique à des rythmiques lourdes, étouffantes, avec des influences hip-hop marquées, s'embarquant vers le breakbeat quand les machines s'emportent ou vers un trip-hop malade sur les titres au tempo plus posé. Si le genre musical est différent, on ne peut toutefois s'empêcher de penser au Rossz Csillag Alatt Született de Venetian Snares, la finesse des rythmiques électroniques de ce dernier se voyant ici remplacée par la lourdeur de la batterie.

L'entrée en matière est bluffante avec A Necessary End, certes emprunt d'une tristesse infinie avec ses cordes tire-larmes, sa mélodie nous rappelant la BO de Requiem for a Dream, son piano discret, les vocalises de Sarah Matthews et l'envolée de breakbeats, l'accélération du jeu de violon qui pourra faire penser Hangedup, ici ou un peu plus loin sur The Opening. On retrouve la superbe voix de Sarah Matthews au chant ample sur Giving In, un peu plus proche de ce qui est communément appelé trip-hop (rythmique downtempo, scratchs, tristesse ambiante ou cri désespéré dans la voix), puis sur un I'm On The Wrong Side plus anodin, au ton plus rock de part l'omniprésence de guitares. Autre morceau chanté, A Simple Test voit au chant un certain Michael Holcomb, mais la voix est toujours aussi poignante, et la musique faite de cordes frappées au son proche d'une harpe et de breakbeats sauvages est d'une beauté violente. Quand il n'y a pas de chanteurs attitrés, des samples viennent à la rescousse, mais sans jamais apparaître comme une bouée de sauvetage. Les dialogues de A Hair on The Head of John The Baptist renforcent l'aspect habité de cette musique, on a ici l'impression d'entendre un extrait de chants d'esclaves, Grafting, aux violons désespérés, est parsemé de chant du Moyen-Orient, et Praise mêle violons quasi-tziganes, saxophone jazzy, et chants religieux.

Ganglion, c'est plein de choses à la fois, au profit d'un même propos. Que ce soit au banjo et batterie (Remember Me ?) ou sur une electronica mélodique et pointilliste (Backyard Pond), Saltillo fait preuve d'une incroyable maîtrise de sa production. Soigné, efficace, Ganglion devrait faire se rejoindre les fans de hip-hop à la Anticon et les romantiques fans d'indus. Rappelons que la maison mère Hive Records est justement orienté musiques industrielles.

7 / 8

-Fabrice Allard


Textura Ezine review:

Suspicious Records judges Saltillo's debut disc Ganglion as “quite possibly the finest release we have ever heard.” One presumes that such hyperbole is intended with tongue at least partially in cheek because it sets up absurdly high expectations that Menton J. Matthews' project can't possibly match, no matter how finely-crafted it is. And that it certainly is: five years in the making, the release is an extremely personalized labour of love with the classically-trained Matthews (aka Sunday Munich) contributing violin, cello, viola, piano, guitar, bass, banjo, and electronics to the project (other than vocals by Matthews' wife Sarah and Michael Holcomb on four songs, Ganglion is entirely a solo affair).

A palpable sense of loss and longing pervades the album, a mood established by the melancholic tone of the compositions and reinforced by the voice samples (Matthews threads dramatic spoken word passages, often of a poetic or scholarly nature, throughout the work, boosting its cinematic aura) and the mournful character of the strings. Even so, the album's mood may be melancholic but it's far from meek with Matthews opting for a heavy and visceral trip-hop-drum'n'bass fusion on many songs. In the promising opener “A Necessary End,” strings somberly saw before a trip-hop groove and Sarah's haunting whisper appear, while “Remember Me?” cleverly pairs countrified banjo riffing with thunderous beats. The closing “002 F#m” re-affirms how effective an understated arrangement of piano and strings can be. [...]

-Ron Schepper


Music Emissions review:

Saltillo is a new project by Menton J. Matthews, formerly of Sunday Munich. Ganglion took five years to complete. Matthews does it all here, playing guitar, piano, cello, banjo, violin and conjuring electronic effects. What is produced by all this solo virtuosity is a record at once deeply sad, but hopeful. It is hard to use cello of violin and sound optimistic, but Matthews uses them to such beautiful droning effect that they do not so much take over any track on which they are used, but drive the melody toward a greater depth. You cannot dance to this, but you can have a brew and remember what you are here for: to feel it when you feel it bad, and to wait for tomorrow to bring good news. Every song embraces sadness and hope in one swipe, but the standouts for me are "Remember Me?", "Grafting", and "Backyard Pond." Profound is a dangerous, often stupid word to use when describing a pop record; it fits for Ganglion, and it is amazing that it does so well for a debut.

-Mike Wood


New Music Magazine (Czech Republic) review:

Na tohle album jsem cekal celý život. Saltillo vznikli z rozpadlých Sunday Munich. Jsou smutnejší, osobnejší, lepší. Perfektní ženský vokál vplétající si mezi pomalé trip hopove beaty. Housle, klavír a podivné samply - dohromady naprosto extatické album, které si pustíte na usínání do postele i když je vám jasné, že pri nem neusnete. Hudební klenot, jakého se lze dockat pouze od nové kapely!

5 / 5

-Terrence


Phosphor Magazine (Netherlands/Germany) review:

The second release on Suspicious Records comes from Saltillo. The front cover shows a violin and that is one of the most important instruments features here, although echoing trip-hop beats, several other instruments and lovely female vocals by Sarah Matthews and Michael Holcomb (on track 4) play an important role as well.

Ganglion has become a diversified album, ranging from classical arrangements to powerful breakhop episodes or folky tunes. Nce sampling goes well with acoustic instruments such as cello, banjo, piano and bass. Pounding betas are interchanged with sensible moments with a romantic touch, reminding of “19th century film moments".

A superb album in which the high quality of the production is to a great extend responsible for this achievement.