Published by Davide Pappalardo on July 1, 2018
Hailing from Los Angeles, experimental duo Mortal Bodies deliver an intriguing mix of ambient, industrial, minimal lo-fi sounds and droning rhythmic noise structures. They generate a sonic world of their own, full of rarefied atmospheres, mysterious movements and captivating yet resolute female vocals. Marc Gonya from techno project Granite Mask and hardcore punk bands Neo Cons and Streetwalkers, and video director and musician Marfisia Bel (Harmaline) are the two artists behind the moniker, who in 2015 have published on cassette their self-released debut Hostile Encounters. For their sophomore work Embodiment, here reviewed, they’ve chosen American noise label Chondritic Sound, run by experimental musician Greh (Corey Cruz) active under different names and with many projects like Pure Ground, Black Sand Desert, and Hive Mind.
8 tracks displaying a post-industrial soundscape with droning analog synths and monotone female vocals with spoken word and stream-of-consciousness traits, engulfed by obsessive rhythmic patterns and noisy layers, sometime reaching an almost psychedelic feeling. The work is mastered by Jeff Swearengin of Sleep Clinic, who gives to it a perfect distorted but listenable production. The first track Anonymous is a 2-minute opener with almost slow reverberated drums and apocalyptic atmospheres, among which the filtered vocals of Marfisia narrate her mysterious tale, while Peeled mirror uses distorted minimal bass-lines and shrilling loops, combining industrial-noise and the robotic nature of the singer delivery. The track is a slow and crawling affair based on hypnotizing effects and brooding ambiances.
Social obligations sounds as a disturbing confession made abrasive music by the means of sharp drones and throbbing synth-lines, touching grim sci-fi territories and dark ambient soundscapes. The second half of the piece dwells in noise mantras and repetitive motifs with scaring atmospheres tampered by electronic effects. Light solution starts as a droning affair with pulsating synth sounds and distant vocals, then it adds theatrical elements and distorted lines, while Simulacron plays with industrial structures and crawling lo-fi sounds, a dreading affair with sawing loops and power electronics traits completed by distant male vocals and retro electronics.
Discarded flesh returns to noisy dark ambient paths with droning qualities, delivering a brooding and shrilling sonic tale made of lysergic effects and obsessive feedback sounds. The track descends into noise territory as it moves along the rhythmic loops. Drought follows suit with its sparse sounds and captivating vocals, keeping a minimal structure with slow crescendos and solemn atmospheres. The closing number Needs is an almost ritualistic affair with strong drums and looping sounds, a sort of ancient mantra made of subtle ethereal movements in the background and in-your-face pounding rhythms. The track dwells into ambient climaxes during its evocative finale.
All in all a really interesting and well crafted work in which the term minimal electronic music hides a world made of convincing dark atmospheres, coherent noise structures and ominous vocal deliveries. Whereas in other cases the blend of minimal songwriting and lo-fi elements just produces a pretense of experimental music, this is not the case. Here we have droning sounds, industrial loops, sharp noises as well as well placed synths, and as a result we find tracks with a reason to exist, micro-sonic universes with their own stories.
Label: Chondritic Sound
Rating: 7,5