Not to be terse or anything, but let’s skip the formalities and just get straight to the part where I say the new Stateless album, Matilda, is one of the best albums of the year. On “Assassins,” decomposing chimes inlayed with hand-played Arabic percussion give the feel of a possessed children’s music box before the whole song explodes into a half-time, hard rock headbanger. “Miles To Go” is a post-rock ballad that gives Massive Attack’s “Teardrop” a run for its money, and don’t even get me started on “I’m On Fire.” Just pay special attention at the eight-minute mark of the Matilda Mini-Mix (after the jump). You’ll smell what I’m cooking.
The fact is, Chris James, Stateless’ lead singer, is a visionary composer whose grasp of soul music, electronica, rock and classical themes is relatively unparalleled. He also knows how to surround himself with players that squeeze every last ounce of inspiration out of any given tune. On Matilda, he teamed up with producer Damian Taylor (Björk, U.N.K.L.E.), whose programming DNA as kidkanevil provides a titanium-like skeleton on which the flesh of the album is wrapped around. I hooked up with James to find out a bit more about the collaboration, his friendship with DJ Shadow, and the stories that reveal themselves throughout the album’s 50 minutes.
