Digitally generated sound has been a staple of Scott Morgan's career as Loscil since his first release. With the project named for one of the basic operators in the popular Max/MSP software package, it is unsurprising that much of Sea Island is the result of DSP programming. However, the sound Morgan creates has a far richer, more organic quality than many who work with similar strategies and methods, and this album is one that is gripping in its natural sounding warmth.
The moments of Sea Island that I found the most captivating were the ones where Morgan makes some concessions to standard rhythms and melody.On "Iona" he constructs mostly a thick expanse of fuzz and drone, with the occasional inclusion of a sequenced melody that makes it one of the most memorable on here.He creates a more song-like, captivating ambience on "Sturgeon Bank" by blending what almost sounds like a programmed drum pattern with a plinking passage of piano.
"In Threes" has Scott generating a thick, gauzy fog around an insistent synth throb, again working with a sense of rhythm that makes it stand out strongly.He expands upon these more conventional qualities via shards of melody and twinkling electronics.Echoing melodies delicately permeate the understated "Bleeding Ink," which becomes all the richer as what resembles processed strings and other heavily treated and mangled electronic tones are introduced.
On some of these pieces, Morgan throws out the more traditional music elements entirely and instead embraces the purity of processed sound.There is a slow repetition throughout "Catalina 1943," in which layer after layer of electronic sound is placed together to result in a rich and heavy drone.The concluding piece, "Angle of List," ends the album in a gigantic expanse of drone and tone.Nothing explicitly melodic or rhythmic is overtly noticeable, but it still results in an achingly beautiful piece of music.
Even though much of Loscil's music is generated by a computer, Scott Morgan's own technical skill and compositional ability results in a record with an undeniably organic warmth.Parts of his music are underscored by concessions to rhythm and melody, and these are the pieces I found myself coming back to.However, even those in which form is eschewed in favor of tone and texture, his beautiful and delicate touch is undeniable.
Samples can be found here.
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