Scale - Matthew Herbert
Scale Image
Metascore
81 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 20 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 26 Ratings

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  • Summary: Like a more accessible, poppier version of Matmos, UK electronica artist Matthew Herbert likes to record concept albums with instrumentation derived from real-world objects. 'Scale' (which again features Dani Siciliano on vocals) samples 723 items (including coffins and fuel pumps) in its 11 politically-charged dance tracks.… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. musicOMH.com
    100
    Inspiring and ingenious, this is an album you shouldn't be without.
  2. NOW Magazine
    100
    Think of it as avant-garde composer John Cage trying his hand at disco and getting it right.
  3. Q Magazine
    80
    A pleasure, featuring some of his most winging music since [Roisin] Murphy's Ruby Blue. [Jul 2006, p.118]
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  4. Urb
    60
    Scale slips into un-passionate, boring territory--in part due to the vocalist, who make sthe whole thing sound somewhat homogeneous. [May 2006, p.86]
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See all 20 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 20
  3. Negative: 2 out of 20
  1. mattt
    10
    great and creative masterpiece, one of the best of 06. definitely deserves more listens in 07. I agree with Javier on the Knife and Junior Boys but I'm From Barcelona is by far one of the best new bands and has one of the best new releases.… Expand
  2. [Anonymous]
    8
    more listenable than any of his previous releases, Scale is the quintessential blip on the radar indicating the approach of an ominous force.
  3. captainferre
    7
    herbert has mixed up his post big band style of "Goodbye Swingtime" with the "bodily functions" era sample cut ups and Dani Siciliano vocals, to fairly groovesome effect. Sadly there's a sense of drift and the album doesn't really chart much of a leap forward. Dani S's vocals are sweet but like the music are more texture than stand out. Despite Herbert's cute-formalist sampling techniques and policies he's not really good with melodies or lyrics per se, and the lushness does little to hide this.… Expand
  4. zeroselon
    4
    this vocalist is so annoying. who is this music for? glitch - dico? yuck.

See all 20 User Reviews

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