London artist Matt Maltese has shared his new single ‘Museum’ and its accompanying video. ‘Museum’ is the latest taste of the upcoming fourth album ‘Driving Just To Drive’ - out 28 April via Nettwerk. ‘Driving Just To Drive’ is the first major body of work from Matt Maltese since his acclaimed third album ‘Good Morning It’s Now Tomorrow’.
‘Museum’ is a self-professed ode to Matt’s hometown Reading, and features backing vocals from Sorry’s Asha Lorenz. Matt says: “This song, along with [previous single] ‘Mother’, was really a building block for the album. It came from really reflecting on my relationship to my hometown of Reading. You change a lot but these places hold those different versions of yourself that you were and that you can’t change. I always couldn’t wait to leave Reading… It had that middle-ground feeling between city and countryside, and I craved the city. It’s funny because I have often felt like my life didn’t really begin until I moved to London at 18. In some ways that’s true, but also there’s a whole life lived in this other place that I’ve frankly never really wanted to think or write about.”
“I like my current self more than my teenage self,” Matt continues. “But I also realised it’s a shame to not see how the present is so intertwined and indebted to the past. Reading has been home for a long time, even if it isn’t now. Even reacting against it has shaped me. I think I finally feel a lot more like I want to embrace it, even if I can’t relate to those years as much anymore.”
Everybody is searching for happiness – and although it might be impossible to find, Matt Maltese is getting closer. For his fourth album, in order to look forward, the musician finally lets himself look back to the past. Reflecting on a sense of place, the meaning of where you grew up and the secret to being able to just enjoy the moment, ‘Driving Just To Drive’ finds Maltese at his most free.
The album’s lush, almost cinematic sound in part comes from Maltese working with a producer for the first time in a while – a first-time producer at that, Josh Scarbrow. It was only after thriving in a songwriting space, collaborating with Joy Crookes, Celeste, Etta Marcus and more, that Maltese better realised how he wanted to write for himself. “I’m bad at letting go to make someone else help me, but I’ve got better,” Maltese says. “Sharing those moments in real life with another person is just really nice. Josh hadn’t made an album before which I loved, and also working with someone my age ended up being really important.”
‘Driving Just To Drive’ finds Maltese at his most open and settled, embracing new sounds but returning to the most organic version of himself. He’s always wanted to find a way to make people laugh, but finds ways here to charm while somewhat letting his guard down. The result is something bittersweet and deeply, authentically emotional.
Matt Maltese's new album ‘Driving Just To Drive’ will be releasing on the 28th of April. Listen to the brand-new single ‘Museum’ HERE.