These saccharine and textured paintings come to life on Canvas Doubles, like lost soundtracks to faraway landscapes we once traversed.
Applying a roughened patina to blissful electronics
Matt Donatelli (aka SURVEY CHANNEL) embarks on a mission to create woozy electronica and Lo-Fi synth waves for as far as the eyes can see. The mission is clearly accomplished on Canvas Doubles, an album aptly described as “a sonic painting,” and one that the artist could never give to his grandpa. How fitting is it to listen to these paintings through fourteen inspired tracks weaving ambient and downtempo strains?
Artists such as teebs, BOC, Múm, ISAN, Yasume, and Ulrich Schnauss come to mind while drifting through each audible artifact—calm drones and ethereal melodies fade into and out of focus as crunchier drums and saturated rhythms crumble. These are all the elements that SURVEY CHANNEL culls for his listeners— applying a roughened patina to blissful electronics from one end of the spectrum to the other. These saccharine and textured paintings come to life on Canvas Doubles, like lost soundtracks to faraway landscapes we once traversed. Subtle blips and bleeps form from out of nowhere as fluttering notes and brisk vocal streams shift into position, if only just briefly on “Magic Weather.” Donatelli recently confides via email transmission, “I utilized elements of sound collage, sampling, psychedelia, ambient textures via tape, synthesis and layered rhythms. Trying to establish a cushy spot in the realm of hazy, kaleidoscopic, dissectible electronica,” which pretty much sums everything up.
Blending the finest contours from a variety of genres, SURVEY CHANNEL exudes confidence within this beautifully choreographed album—merging organic and instrumental audio pathways through a gauzy lens. Nostalgic and surreal, Canvas Doubles (with most of its tracks somehow less than 3-minutes apiece) nestles comfortably with some of our early top releases of 2023. Our favorites include “Usselo,” “Debris Analogs,” “Verticals Fading,” “Linoot,” “String Lemon,” “Magic Weather,” and “Sight Harmony.”
Find this album before it finds you.
Written & Produced by Matt Donatelli
Mastered By Antony Ryan at RedRedPaw
Artwork and design by SURVEY CHANNEL
Canvas Doubles is available on Werra Foxma. [Bandcamp]
