I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, when it comes to Dubstep, I am not a huge fan. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a time and place for a bit of the wub-wub, but to say I’m unfamiliar with the intricacies of the genre would be a massive understatement along the lines of saying that Skrillex has a stupid haircut.
The trouble for me is that if not done properly, dubstep can quickly descend into noise, not completely dissimilar to having your head stuck inside an old 56k modem, again Skrillex – looking at you here. It is with relief then that I report that listen to Morgue was nothing like that at all.
A curious name for a music act, Morgue is in reality a supremely talented producer chap called Morgan from Bristol, who specialises in dubstep, drumstep, drum and bass and “bass heaviness in general.” Citing a wide range of influences, Morgue is the type of act I particularly admire – one with a sense of variety and versatility. Morgue has a wide range of tracks up on Soundcloud at the moment, which is where I went to listen. A large amount of these are currently free downloads too, which is great!
Feeling mildly patriotic, I decided to dive in with This Is England... and was immediately intrigued. This wasn’t quite what I was expecting. So all the hallmarks of the genre are here present and correct, but I like the clever use of dialogue over the top to add a new dimension to it. At the start it seems somewhat odd, but is built up throughout the track in interesting ways. It’s catchy and full of riffs and patterns without becoming too repetitive, but with an edge of improvisation as well, and expert use of layering each part of the track effectively.
Get Up was an opportunity to see how Morgue incorporates vocals within his work. In short, very impressive. As I mentioned above, here the expert touch in making sure the track is layered pays dividends as the vocals takes centre stage. At no point does it feel like they were an afterthought, and integral to the whole piece, helping to shape the proceedings.
Fireworks grabbed me with that sound of the lead, a fantastic tone. Again, the use of dialogue is a great introduction, but doesn’t take a central role like Get Up, but little vocal drop ins throughout the piece are well placed. Also of note is the way in which the drum track evolves as the track progresses, making the whole track feel more and more and unstable, and dare I say, volatile, added with the obligatory electronic upwards glissando to create a very fiery Fireworks.
Finally, Tekken changes everything again, starting off with nice mellow piano chords and soaring synths. Of all the Morgue pieces I listened to, I’d pick this one out as my favourite for the way in which it mixes that chillout session vibe with a steady driving momentum. Again, the use of vocals is well placed, and not at all subtle which matches the mood really well. The piece progresses and evolves, bringing in a nice repeating pattern over the top in the mid section, and bringing back the high spaced out synths towards the end.
Dubstep isn’t everyone’s cup o’ tea, but whether you’re a hardcore fan or a casual observer like me, Morgue offers sounds that add up to more than the sum of their parts. Deceptively simplistic, but actually with deep layers and deft producing touches, I highly recommend Morgue to anyone looking to expand their musical tastes.
Review by Paul Barnes
Check out Morgue!
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