What makes Plat du Jour by Matthew Herbert notable?

Plat du Jour gained attention for its critical commentary on food production and consumer culture, showcasing Herbert's unique ability to fuse political themes with experimental sound design. The album has been noted in various reviews as a significant contribution to the electronic genre, influencing artists who combine music with social commentary. Released in 2005, Plat du Jour is Matthew Herbert's third studio album, following his acclaimed work on Around the House. At this point in his career, Herbert was already recognized for his innovative approach to music production, using found sounds to tell stories about contemporary issues.

Who is Plat du Jour for?

Plat du Jour works well if you're into thought-provoking soundscape exploration, deliberate pacing for reflection and immersive listening with detail.

How many songs are on Plat du Jour?

Plat du Jour has 13 tracks, running approximately 59 minutes.

Plat du Jour

Matthew Herbert · 2005

59 min · 13 tracks · classical music

A provocative blend of field recordings and electronic soundscapes that interrogate modern consumption and its environmental impact.

Spotify Apple Music

YouTube Music YouTube Deezer Bandcamp SoundCloud

Own it: Amazon eBay

Top tracks — play these first

→
The Truncated Life of a Modern Industrialised Chicken — This track sets the thematic tone for the album by exploring the life cycle of industrial poultry through unsettling sound collages, highlighting Herbert's critique of food production.
→
An Empire of Coffee — Using layered sound bites of coffee-related noises, this track critiques global consumerism while showcasing Herbert's talent for creating immersive auditory experiences.
→
Waste Land — This composition utilizes a cacophony of urban sounds to evoke a sense of environmental degradation, serving as a poignant reflection on wastefulness in modern society.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

thought-provoking soundscape exploration
deliberate pacing for reflection
immersive listening with detail
provocative themes on consumption

Maybe skip if you

desire for instant gratification
prefer straightforward, catchy tunes

Where this album fits

Career context: Released in 2005, Plat du Jour is Matthew Herbert's third studio album, following his acclaimed work on Around the House. At this point in his career, Herbert was already recognized for his innovative approach to music production, using found sounds to tell stories about contemporary issues.
Stylistic neighbors: Alva Noto· Ryoji Ikeda· Amon Tobin

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 The Truncated Life of a Modern Industrialised Chicken 7:41
2 These Branded Waters 5:28
3 Pigs in Shit 0:19
4 An Empire of Coffee 7:03
5 Celebrity 4:05
6 Sugar 5:50
7 An Apple a Day… 1:32
8 White Bread, Brown Bread 4:08
9 Fatter, Slimmer, Faster, Slower 3:58
10 The Final Meal of Stacey Lawton 5:33
11 The Nine Seeds of Navdanya 4:15
12 Waste Land 6:03
13 Nigella, George, Tony and Me 3:47

What to play next

Listen next

Scale

2006

Go back to

Goodbye Swingtime

2003

Full Matthew Herbert discography Artists like Matthew Herbert

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata