‘Legend Of The Galactic Princess’, by Matthew J Van Howe, is everything you’d expect from a song with such a title. Part ‘Blade Runner’, part Doctor Who soundtrack, part nod to Gary Numan, and Thomas Dolby (and maybe a little bit of ELO), the song combines the elegance of classical music, with a dark, synth heavy experimentation. The title track of the album of the same name, ‘Legend Of The Galactic Princess’ is out August 13.
Matthew J Van Howe is based in Chicago, where he pushes boundaries with his compositions and songwriting. A master of reinvention, his discography sees him challenge conventions and push the envelope on every release, resulting in memorable melodies, along with, at times, abrasive soundscapes.
Van Howe studied choral arrangement and classical piano at Trinity Christian College, where he obtained his BA, and followed his studies with a series of EPs and singles. However, he didn’t make his formal debut until 2014 with the release of his long-player, ‘Transmogrify’. The industrial rock influenced record established him as a force to be reckoned with, and saw the establishment of an albeit small, yet devoted, fanbase dedicated to the artist.
Following ‘Transmogrify’, Van Howe diversified his creative talents, including directing a film, ‘Voice Of The Vespers’ in 2014, designing a board game, ‘Hadrian’s Line’, and working as a music director, and choir director. He didn’t fully put music composition on the backburner however, and released his album, ‘Emergent Narrative’, in 2020, followed by the improvised piano album, ‘Memories Otherwise Forgotten’.
More about Matthew J Van Howe and his music can be found online on Facebook. His previous releases are available on Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and Spotify.
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