Photo by: Unknown
We had a quick chat with Athens based synth duo Paradox Obscur about synths and their new album Morphogenesis.
“We love to create songs from scratch, guided by inspiration, with the force of hardware equipment.”
Your work plays with the distinction between analogue acoustics and digital cosmetics. What does your rack look like and can you tell me about some of your favorite patches?
We use exclusively hardware synthesizers to compose our music and the total lack of Virtual Instruments delivers a result very close to what we need and visualize.
There is an array of various synths and drum machines which we use based in the needs of each track while recording in real time mode without having to cut/copy/paste parts.
We love to create songs from scratch, guided by inspiration, with the force of hardware equipment. When the initiation invites you to shut yourself in the studio, the mind switches go down and you are there with your idea ready to be transformed into a melody. Spontaneity as well as unaffected intention is what create songs timeless and characteristic, as such we strive to be, even if they do not coincide with the current phase of fashion.
Can you explain the concept of Morphogenesis?
The word Morphogenesis comes from the Greek morphê shape and genesis creation, literally the generation of form.
“Morphogenesis keeps the up-tempo groove of our previous album while blending with the epic leads we have composed so far.”
In this case it takes on a more metaphysical hue and was used as a concept of connecting matter with the cosmic web. The source of creation is one and from it all life forms of invisible and visible things branch out. Thus each song was formed by an emerging vortex, gradually shaped from the seeds of the previous one, forming a unique character ready to be incorporated under a roof concept.
The new album was written during the global lockdown, did this help or inspires any of the ideas on Morphogenesis. If so, in what way?
For sure it gave us more free time to work and finalize Morphogenesis, an album that took a year and half to reach its final stage. As there were also no live shows during the lockdown period there was plenty of time to work and to get into more details in the recording and mixing process.
“… we always try to reach new levels …”
Would you consider Morphogenesis an evolution or an extension of your previous work?
The new album starts from where the previous one SYNΘESIS has stopped but with an updated sound production and song-writing.
The workflow in the studio is a path of an evolutionary process for the band and and keep our sound and performance enriched with new ideas and techniques.
Morphogenesis keeps the up-tempo groove of our previous album while blending with the epic leads we have composed so far.
Are there any songs on new album Morphogenesis that you would identify as a club hit?
We believe that tracks like Animal Reactor or Evo-Devo are made for the dance floor and will find their way through the DJs setlists, while there is also Monoclone and In Vitro both [are] destined to raise the adrenaline in a live show.
