Morphology – Horta Proxima

In 2018 Morphology released their third album, debuting on FireScope with Traveller. The sci-fi inspired ten tracker was an immediate success. It also marked a subtle evolution in the sound of the Finnish pioneers of Michael Diekmann and Matti Turunen. Compositions became more complex, melodies more refined. 2020 sees that transformation continue with the pair returning to FireScope for a brand new album: Horta Proxima.

This twelve track album, recorded between 2018 and 2019, sees the electronic partnership continue to further hone their audio craft. The otherworldly is ever present, in the liquid harmonies and sliding synths of “Photospehere” and the shapeshifting brightness of “Aphelion.” Countering these aural journeys into the beyond is a balance, the pulsing keys and crunched beats of “Rustbelt” and the fluid warmth of “Downlink” tethering the narrative to the here and now of terra firma. A central tenet of Horta Proxima is possibility, the possibilities of a technological future expressed through cables, filters, oscillations and permutations. Morphology have delved deeper into the potential of their machines, resurfacing with a wondrous wealth of musical works. From the chopped percussion of “Parsec” to the spirited playfulness of “Triangulum”, new advances and avenues have been explored by the duo. Despite the future gazing focus, the carnal persists. “Shadows from the Past” bares its teeth, rumbling drums chase sailing notes and acid spectres. And within this range, what the listener leaves with is an irrefutable sense of awe. The understated grandeur of “Luminous Entity”, the sensuous stratification of “Multiplex”, the reduced radiance of “Horta Proxima”, only go to further exemplify the respect and reverence this album deserves.

Horta Proxima is firmly set in the Morphology canon. The collection is undeniably daring. Diekmann and Turunen have continued their musical journey from Traveller, pushing their sound further, developing their technique and delivering sheer quality. A beautifully crafted album that broadens themes and horizons, a musical milestone, a triumph.