With a sound that blends sinister pleasures, visual arts and mechanically tinged dance rhythms, electro group Matte Black, consisting of Alex Gonzales, Bidi Cobra and Daniel Corrales, who hail from San Diego, California have certainly established themselves as a band who know how to make music that stands out. The three of them have considerably different tastes in music but have intertwined them together to create a sound and a style that compliments each of them both personally and professionally.

Their lush dark synth stylings are complimented by what can only be described as gritty anthems, all of which somehow also harness and showcase the bands’ love of and for underground techno. Ahead of their debut album I’m Waving, Not Drowning dropping later in the year, and for which they’ve set up an Indiegogo page to help fund finishing it, the trio are teasing the collection with the release of new single “Pure”, which PopWrapped are delighted to premiere.

The track, which is made up of dark melodies, a haunting vocal and a confident, fast-paced beat, was one of many for the album, as Alex explains: “..written at my home studio in San Diego during this pandemic. There definitely is a lot of influence behind being quarantined, feeling despair and uncertainty. We made it a priority to make sure we finish this album as we have nothing holding us back.”

Given that the album, which includes their rendition of Depeche Mode’s “Stripped”, was created in isolation, it might not surprise fans to find that the collection touches on topics many will no doubt find themselves able to relate to; notably pain, panic and suffering yet conceiving a light at the end of the tunnel. It is these thoughts and feelings the band say that ultimately inspired the title of their upcoming record.

Give “Pure” a listen below and for more information on Matte Black, give their page a like on Facebook or follow them on Twitter. Header photo credit: Alex Casillas.