By: Elowen Gray
In the modern music industry, only a few artists manage to deliver significant contributions while adapting to the shifting demands of mainstream media. Among many, Matt Temple is recognized as one of the accomplished music composers. His career spans over 30 years, during which he has contributed to film and television sound design while also pursuing a side career as an experimental composer.
His work occupies a unique space between narrative production and the open-ended exploration of sonic form. This dual role has enabled Temple to engage with both commercial media and the broader development of audio as a creative discipline.
Temple’s career in screen media began in the 1990s after studying composition and sound design at Berklee College of Music, where he also taught for some time. He later moved to Los Angeles and joined Sony Pictures, where he took on roles in sound design and supervision. Over time, he has contributed to a number of high-profile film and television projects, including The Passion of the Christ (2004).
Television became another significant platform for Temple’s sound design, particularly with series like Ozark, Better Call Saul, and Fargo. These shows are noted for their storytelling and use of sound to shape atmosphere, emotion, and suspense. Temple’s work on these series earned him five Primetime Emmy Award nominations, underscoring his contributions to the medium.
In 2000, Temple founded Temple Sound Design, an independent studio that allowed him to expand his creative capabilities and gain more control over post-production processes. Through this platform, he has worked on a variety of projects, including major studio productions and digital and independent formats.
While Temple’s screen work aligns with industry expectations by offering narrative clarity, his discography as a recording artist presents a contrasting approach to expression. Beginning with The Covid Kids in 2020, Temple initiated a series of albums that shifted away from linear storytelling in favor of sonic abstraction.
This debut, influenced by the social isolation of the pandemic, established the foundation for a musical style rooted in urban, electronic, and experimental traditions. His subsequent releases, 2021, Slowed Motion, The Cube, and Fungus, addressed a range of thematic and structural concerns. These works incorporated minimalist textures, dissonant harmonies, and nontraditional rhythmic structures.
Despite the differences between his commercial and personal projects, Temple’s work shares several recurring themes. Both his sound design and music use intentional silence, rhythm, and negative space. In narrative media, these techniques typically aim to enhance emotional tone or build tension. However, in his music, they are treated as compositional elements in their own right. The sensibilities developed in one domain often inform the other. For instance, the ambient restraint found in Ozark can be heard echoed in the atmospheric structure of Slowed Motion.
Temple Sound Design plays an important role in maintaining this balance. The studio provides a foundation for Temple to work on commercial productions while supporting his independent output as an artist. This dual capacity has enabled him to exceed industry expectations without sacrificing the autonomy needed for creative exploration.
Currently, Temple is working on a new album, which is expected to be released later this year. While details are still under wraps, he is likely to continue his exploration of cross-genre and cross-media sound design. In parallel, his ongoing work in television and film reflects the evolving standards of high-fidelity, emotionally resonant sound.
Matt Temple’s career offers an example of how technical expertise and creativity can coexist in the music industry today. As media platforms and technologies continue to advance, Temple’s dual legacy, rooted in both narrative precision and sonic abstraction, provides a noteworthy model for future sound artists.
