Matt John Henderson’s Heliopolis Is a Sunday Morning State of Mind

Artist: Matt John Henderson

Album: Heliopolis

Released: 09-01-2026

It feels entirely appropriate to sit with Matt John Henderson’s latest album Heliopolis on a Sunday morning. This is music made for that rare pocket of time when the working week loosens its grip and the noise of the rat race fades into the background. Heliopolis inhabits the calm of the morning after, you know, that time of the day that’s unhurried, reflective, and quietly absorbing. Rooted in folk rock but flecked with post-rock textures, jazz inflections, and graceful string arrangements, the album unfolds patiently, inviting you to slow down and listen. It’s a beautifully crafted companion for a lazy Sunday and a genuine morning-after indulgence. We all need albums like this to escape to a one stage or another!

Across its nine-track run, Heliopolis moves at an unhurried pace, cruising and sauntering from song to song with quiet confidence. Each piece is laced with sidestepping percussion, haunting cello and saxophone flourishes, and a vocal delivery that is both calming and weighted with emotion and intent. The album opens with Spin A Yarn, where gently plucked guitar strings weave through soft cello lines and dreamlike lyrics. It’s a subtle, soothing introduction, an invitation into Henderson’s world, evoking that warm winter Sunday glow where time slows and comfort settles in.

No two tracks here tread the same ground. Loam leans into jazz-tinged fusion, carried by the sweet call of a saxophone and a wandering upright bass that slips effortlessly between chords. Henderson’s vocal climbs a little higher in register yet retains the same soothing presence that defines the album’s emotional pull. Then there’s Beneath The Wheel, my personal standout, which shifts the mood entirely. Set against a watery, shimmering soundscape, its warm, enveloping vocals are anchored by the long, resonant drone of the cello, creating a piece that feels both immersive and quietly spellbinding.

Somewhere in Chiang Mai drifts into a blues-soaked haze, conjuring images of smoky city streets through its sumptuous saxophone lines and delicately brushed percussion. The sax feels almost like a second voice, echoing and responding to the vocals with sultry tones and subtle harmonies, blurring the line between instrument and singer. From here, the album eases into its closing and title track, Heliopolis. More stripped back than what came before, and delivered with a heightened emotional weight, it brings the record to a tender, unforced conclusion. It’s a closing of the curtains on an album that gently lifts you out of the everyday, offering space to listen, reflect, and ultimately unwind. This is a record well worth your time.

Note: It only feels right to acknowledge the musicians who joined Matt on this record. Their contributions are integral, their talent leaving a lasting imprint on the sound and soul of Heliopolis.

Lav Kovac – Drums, Alice Allen – Cello, Arteml Litovchenko – Cello, Maciej G – Percussion, Fermin - Upright Bass, Valentin R – Saxophone, Manuel Trabucco – Saxophone & Ido Romano - Ney Flute

https://mattjohnhenderson1.bandcamp.com/album/heliopolis