Scott Matthews is gearing up for the release of his new album N E W S K I N on May 14 on Shedio Records. Today he’s releasing the latest single from the record, a moody, synth-laced ballad called “Wait In The Car” and it’s premiering in this post.

Matthews’ songwriting style is a pleasant take on alternative pop that’s reminiscent of Cocteau Twins – it’s no suprise he’s been announced as a guest on Simon Raymonde’s upcoming new Lost Horizons show. While the song has a slow tempo, the drum beat is persistent and driving, giving a little bit of pep behind the melodic vocals. While initially a reverberating guitar riff is the biggest instrumental element, by the middle of “Wait In The Car” swells of emotive synths take over the mix.

N E W S K I N is Matthews’ seventh studio album and finds the songwriter reinventing himself, with COVID-19 as the impetus for this change. He set personal challenges to dig deeper in his songwriting and find new was to communicate through his music. Despite the pandemic being the catalyst for a sonic change, the record that he’s been working towards for six or seven years.

“It’s been in formulation for some years,” said Matthews about the album. “With every record you are dictated to by the context or mood. It just so happens that every record I’ve made there’s always been a pool of songs that didn’t quite fit in. It feels fitting for all those rogue songs that weren’t sure of their place to have finally come together. I felt I had to break the mould I’d cast myself in. The desire to explore an idea that was always written in bold on my ‘to do’ list – a world of organic samples, programmed beats, grainy synthesisers, electric baritone guitar has always fascinated me. It was like discovering the ’80s for the first time.”