Albums of the Year 2025: #90

Matt Berry returns with his first new solo album since 2021’s Blue Elephant. This time he delivers a soul and West Coast psych-inspired collection of songs, which attach an innate sense of melody to a lush, contemporary take on classic recording techniques. All of this is allied with Matt’s rich voice and unique lyrics.

The album’s opening single ‘I Gotta Limit’ is a sharp, pounding number with vocal duties shared with Kitty Liv. Elsewhere, there are collaborations with Eric D Johnson of The Shins, and Golden Globe-winning actress Natasha Lyonne.

In the past four years Matt has been busy with a number of projects, including his Library Music collaboration with KPM ‘Simplicity’, and his EMMY award-nominated role as Laszlo in ‘What We Do In The Shadows’. This record, his 8th studio album for Acid Jazz, sees him return to his love of music.

Deluxe 4 LP

Presented in a beautiful lift-off-lid boxset with new artwork, this ultimate ‘Heard Noises’ experience is limited to 1000 copies and contains the following beautifully curated components:

HEARD NOISES: Half-Speed Master Version. A new version of the album half-speed mastered at Abbey Road Studios by Miles Showell. This process provides a unique and extremely high fidelity listening experience, giving a distinct perspective on the album. It is presented in a redesigned gatefold and printed inner sleeve.

BONUS TRACKS: A four-track twelve-inch vinyl EP, featuring the four bonus tracks from the sessions, including a previously unreleased cover of Beach House's 'Lover Of Mine’, featuring the vocals of Celia Fage. The other tracks are Snake Organ’ and ‘Screaming Walls’, which were only available on a limited retail CD, and ‘Crucifix Lane’ which appeared on an Acid Jazz compilation.

REMIXES: An eight-track vinyl album featuring remixes of ‘Heard Noises’ tracks by the likes of Tennis, Midfield General, Moog Cookbook, Andy Votel, Rodeo Clown, Project Gemini, Brian Kehew and Sean Ono Lennon. These explore the sonic landscape of the album and wander off into some exciting new vistas. The Moog Cookbook team present their first remix in over 25 years, and Tennis totally recast ‘Wedding Photo Stranger’.

REMIX PICTURE DISC: One album was too small to contain all of the brilliant remixes, so in an Acid Jazz first, also included is a picture disc 7-inch single that includes an extra mix by Sean Ono Lennon and Project Gemini respectively.

64 PAGE MAKING OF HEARD NOISES HARDBACK BOOK: A beautiful boxset-exclusive tome that is adorned with regular Matt Berry collaborator Ben Meadows' full colour photographs of the studio and instruments that were used in the making of the album, alongside a detailed commentary of what they are and what they mean to Matt. The book also rounds up the Rough Trade in-store promotional tour that launched the album, and Matt's trip to Abbey Road Studios to cut the half- speed master.
POSTERS: Two high quality posters, showing the promotional adverts for the cassette and 8 Track cartridge version of the album.

SIGNED PROMOTIONAL PHOTOGRAPH: Included in every box set, is a promotional photograph signed personally by Matt Berry.