Fans to enjoy pre-release of Ard Matthews' hit, 'Impossible Machines'

Ard Matthews shot to fame as the frontman for the legendary South African band, Just Jinjer, acclaimed for hits such as Shallow Waters, She Knows, I Like You Madly and What He Means. 

By pre-ordering the album, listeners get exclusive access to each new song as it is released, with a new song scheduled for release every two weeks before the full album is officially available on 13 July 2018. 

The album’s title track, also named Impossible Machines, is a thought-provoking account of our dependency on technology and devices, with an uplifting message that has caught the attention of radio stations, fans and new listeners alike. 

Released on 11 May to widespread acclaim, the track charted in the iTunes SA top 10 in its first week and took the no.1 spot on regional radio just two weeks later. 

“It excites me to see how well it is being received,” says Ard of this early success. “There is no better validation than seeing a good response to something that was once just an idea.” 

The album, Impossible Machines, incorporates a variety of pop, indie and dance elements that clearly demonstrate how Ard has come into his own, both as a singer and a songwriter.

Justify It, the album’s second single, due for release on Friday 8 June, is an homage to the purple Prince himself, with a dirty thumping bass-line that has gotten live audiences moving all over South Africa; while the triumphant joy of Everything’s Better is balanced by the emotional pulse beating at the heart of the album’s epic power ballad, Shoulda Stayed.

"This is the closest I’ve come to breaking a few musical rules, which have bound me for some time now. Without thinking too much about it, I’ve created something that is quite ‘out the box’, for me anyway,” says Ard. 

Ard plays all the instruments on the album, which he recorded at Empire Avenue Studio in Hout Bay, Cape Town. This high-tech studio is housed in the converted dungeon of a historic castle, which he recently bought and made his home. 

“Getting to know my new studio through this album has been fun,” says Ard. “It feels like I’m only scraping the tip of the iceberg of my creativity. It’s only going to get more creative from here on.”

Watch the official music video for 'Impossible Machines' below:

You can pre-order the album now on iTunes, or on Apple Music now.