LOSCIL - Lake Fire

The environment and the deep traces left on it by humankind are an integral part of the imagery underpinning the Loscil project, from which some of the key building blocks of a prolific body of work have emerged. It's to that same source that Scott Morgan returns to regain momentum after a rather uneven period, in which his releases haven't always lived up to what he's shown over a career spanning more than two decades. Guiding the inspiration for this new path is the natural cycle of destruction and regeneration he clearly perceived during a journey through the mountains of British Columbia scarred by wildfires.

Originally conceived for an ensemble, "Lake Fire" was shelved and later picked back up by dissecting and reworking the initial material. A meticulous process of deconstruction from which emerges a synthetic substrate in full Loscil style, marked by a complex, detail-rich sound design that stands in sharp contrast to his work with Lawrence English and to the recent foto/musicali releases. The hypnotic repetition and relentless layering of airy synthetic modulations — defining traits of Morgan's writing — are used to shape dynamic, shape-shifting digressions meant to convey a state suspended between tension and melancholy.

The structure of the tracks partly loosens the more rigid canons the Canadian musician usually applies, without distorting his sound, taking shape in tremulous formulations run through with deep pulsations ("Arrhythmia", "Silos"), hazy atmospheres ("Spark", "Flutter") and icy, brooding saturations ("Ash Clouds", "Doux"). It all translates into a majestic, deeply immersive flow, woven with the skill of someone who knows how to draw convincing solutions from every shade across the entire grayscale — a palette that, not by chance, takes center stage on the cover photo. A precious piece of the puzzle in which the best qualities of a musician who still has much to offer come together once again.

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16/05/2025