Album Notes

Hailing from Indiana, Metavari balance their Midwestern sensibilities with an eager desire to create music that is consistently breaking up their own new ground. Metavari are an instrumental rock-quartet who combine nuances of both electronic music and post-rock. The contrast of undeniably digital elements like laptop programming along side organic rock arrangements and vintage equipment create a multi-layered landscape of sound that has given the act national attention. The band formed in the winter of 2006 and in two year's time has self-released their debut EP, Ambling EP, scored original music for a short film shot in Washington, DC called Casualty of the Promiseland, wrote original songs in three television commercials for a regional hospital, performed remixes and original arrangements to the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds album for a near sold-out audience at Fort Wayne's Embassy Theatre and toured throughout the Midwest and East Coast. Metavari has shared the stage with notable acts in their genre such as Unwed Sailor, Timbre Cierpke, Yndi Halda, El Ten Eleven, Lymbyc Systym and This Will Destroy You. The band is currently in the studio writing and recording their debut full-length LP to be release in the beginning of 2009.

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Metavari create glistening instrumental tracks using both analogue and digital elements. The digital processing is subtle, allowing the vintage Fender Rhodes electric piano, drums, bass and guitar to take centre stage in the tracks. The band’s debut release Ambling is an emotionally uplifting experience that also generates a warm and comforting presence. At times poppy and other times focused on the rock side of their sound, Ambling is a merger between both genres, resulting in incredibly sweet melodies and textures that compliment one another perfectly.

the Silent Ballet
Leanne Simpson / Sunderland, MA

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Metavari come to us from the "The Former Black Swamp, Indiana." But they may as well descended to us from the heavens or some other ether of celestial beauty because that's the only imaginable space I can conjure whenever I spin their gorgeous debut Ambling EP.

Silence is Overrated
Scott E / Charleston, SC

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Metavari's debut EP, Ambling, radiates a musical warmth most releases nowadays lack. Too many instrumental albums are cold and overly digitized, but Metavari avoid sounding too clinical or synthesized by utilizing a combination of vintage keyboard and analog equipment, among other instruments. The lack of vocals in instrumental music can be off-putting to a first-time audience (although, let's be honest, a lack of vocals can also be a true blessing when you are under constant bombardment from the asinine music and lyrics of Top 40 radio). The absence of vocals should in no way affect an album's emotional stir; the underlying music creates the impact. Ambling EP's four tracks suggest a sense of optimism that is left to be differently interpreted by each listener.

Whatzup Magazine
Sara Peterson / Bloomington, IN