Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Morso
Label: Dallas Records
Release: 2008
Length: 47.32
Rating: 4/5
“Izlog” is the debut from the Croatian alternative rock band Morso! As natives of Rijeka, they’re committed to keeping alive the rich rock tradition tied to that city. A new Rijeka wave for a new millennium. This septet is finely tuned to an alternative sound, with dark, deep atmospherics in the production, where the band’s collective sound achieves a truly hypnotic effect. The sonic picture is a mix of simple guitar phrases, with programmed loops or downright simple keyboard tricks delicately woven in as filler or atmospheric seasoning. The end result is the cold, dark mood of this album.
The rock idiom Morso cultivate touches art rock on one side with its refined approach to songwriting, and pop rock on the other (the song Lijek). You can especially feel the influences left on the rock landscape by the post-punk bands of the eighties, à la Joy Division or New Order, and in modern terms it makes sense to look for parallels with bands like Interpol, The Killers or Editors.
There are two vocalists. One male and one female, weaving in and out of each other and trading lines, and often they’re effective, powerful co-creators of the melodic duet harmonies that make up the album’s high point. The pop touch comes mostly from the convincing contribution of the female vocal, while the male vocal, equally clean and mid-ranged, has an alternative bent with a slightly forward-pushed punkish stance.
With the opening track Dar, Morso tell you what this record is going to be about. The whole album is cut from the vibe of that first track, both in how it’s composed and in the mood of the album itself. The musicians prove they’re on the same wavelength when it comes to what they want from the music, and their contributions mesh phenomenally, communicating productively to build the tightness and fullness of the sound in these finished compositions. It’s hard to pick out highlights. The songs are equal in quality, simple, incredibly catchy, and honestly almost aggressive on the ear in all their melancholy melody. On top of all that, Morso have a rich stock of interesting musical ideas, which they shape into fully realized stories in a completely their own, unique way. The excellent, dramatic production conjures up a sharp contrast between the firmly separated rhythm line (voluminous bass melodies) and the wall of guitar phrases (often hypnotically repeating, single-string) mixed with keyboards. And right in the middle of those two contrasts, the vocals sit perfectly in place.
As a whole, the album is strongly recommended for everyone attached to the energy of Rijeka’s eighties bands, because Morso are the logical continuation of a rich rock legacy and tradition, the very definition of high-quality musical expressionism and uniqueness that Rijeka has always had in abundance. This is a band that approaches everything with a refined style. With a rich sense of artistry. That artistic, intellectual stance is also confirmed by the lyrics, which in places are deliberately illogical or brilliantly masked in metaphor, something not foreign to the legacy of eighties “new wave”. They know the power of minimalism, and Morso have no trouble with a “less is more” offer. It’s an extremely high-quality debut in every respect, one I warmly recommend you check out, and with a start like the one “Izlog” gives them, we can expect an interesting musical evolution from Morso down the road, and a recognizable rock artistry of their own.
Line-up
Stanislav Grdaković – vocals
Ivana Bartolović – vocals
Darko Terlević – keyboards, backing vocals
Nikola Mesarek – bass guitar
Matej Zec – guitar, programmed loops
Hrvoje Brzić – programmed loops
Ivan Bojčić – drums
Production
Matej Zec
Tracklist
1. Dar
2. Sati
3. Izlog
4. Kao da neznam kraj
5. Znak
6. Ne vidi
7. Sol
8. Pubilka za smijanje
9. Prazan dan
10.Lijek
11.Voda
12.Bogovi ljudi
