Sixth album of Paradox obscur, Morphogenesis offers us a tasty electronic music which mixes with ability coldwave, darkwave, EBM and synthpop. Released on May 6, 2022, the new opus of the Berlin duo is available in digital, vinyl and compact disc formats.
Morphogenesis is a musical kaleidoscope of the moment. As Metropolis Records explains so well on Paradox Obscur’s bandcamp page, “The duo (…) records in real time, (…) to capture the essence and magic of the moment.” This way of composing explains why the musical universe of the album is built around ostinatos of bass, rhythms and harmonics which sometimes directs the style of the duet towards a minimalist horizon for our great pleasure. Morphogenesis also contains a very varied sound palette that evolves from one track to another while maintaining a perfect unity. The melodic efficiency of the thematic elements is also one of the strengths of this opus. The lyrics are mostly written in the language of Shakespeare, but “Stellaire” is interpreted in French and “Krankes Herz” in German, which adds more flavor to the universe of Morphogenesis.
The unity of this album can be detected, for an attentive ear, in the very heart of the composition process. Indeed, the bass of “Wild Silk” is identical to that of “Cocoon,” although the timbre of the sounds used is a little different. “Wild Silk” could therefore be seen as an extension of “Cocoon,” an extension where the vocals manage to express themselves fully, where they were voluntarily restricted. There is the same process with “In Vitro” which is based on the ternary thematic element that characterizes the identity of “Monoclone.”
As for ambiences, they are quite satisfying to the ear. “Cocoon” caresses the ear with its vaporous synthesizers and its very pure and ethereal vocal line. “Stellaire” with its French lyrics is very sensual. “Animal Reactor” and “Krankes Herz” are all much darker. “Polar” is more epic in nature. “Monoclone”, the only track on the album that flirts with the ternary is a real treat for the ears with its different instrumental layers that play on a shift of accentuations.
Morphogenesis is another nice musical discovery in this hot July. Let’s thank Paradox Obscur for bringing us some lightness and freshness under this blazing sun. If you don’t know their musical universe, let yourself be tempted. It is certain that it will embellish your evenings, even make you dance if you have the chance to attend one of their concerts.
