Matthew Herbert and drummer/vocalist Momoko Gill join forces for Clay, a bold and soulful collaboration out on Strut in June 2025. Rooted in Herbert’s signature sound and Gill’s melodic sensibility, Clay balances dancefloor energy with introspective beauty — “agile and open-hearted… a thrilling, sonically adventurous record.”
Matthew Herbert and drummer/vocalist Momoko Gill present Clay, a rich, genre-blurring collaboration released via Strut in June 2025. Blending soulful rhythms, inventive sampling, and emotional clarity, the album moves fluidly “between the dancefloor and the more introspective moods of the early hours.”
Built around Herbert’s adventurous production and Gill’s intimate songwriting, Clay draws on everything from Japanese kotos to basketballs, creating a deeply organic sound. Gill’s vocals soar across lush arrangements, from the layered melancholy of “Mowing” to the heartfelt duet “Heart.”
For Herbert, long known for turning the world into music — from tank engines to pig farms — Clay continues his fearless experimentation. Gill, shaped by South London’s boundary-pushing scene, brings multi-instrumental talent and a distinct voice honed through collaborations with Tirzah, Coby Sey, and Alabaster DePlume.
“A meeting of musical minds,” Clay is an intuitive, beautifully conceived album from two artists who push sonic boundaries with warmth and vision.
