Morphosa Harmonia

Describing an album as a collaboration between two drummers probably calls visions of an hour-long jam between studio hacks on a terrible medley of Cream's "Toad" and Led Zeppelin's "Moby Dick." But Thomas Wydler and Toby Dammit, both denizens of Berlin and veterans of a number of bands and backing sessions, aim for a wiser road with their Morphosa Harmonia collaboration, which features a variety of performers besides themselves and a goal to create actual instrumental songs rather than jamming for the sake. The key instrument, played by both in a variety of contexts, is actually vibraphone, lending a nicely lounged-up atmosphere to the proceedings -- without simply trying to be space age bachelor pad music, they find their own way around trippy but attractive atmospherics throughout. A good comparison point would be the Creatures' underrated debut Feast, lacking the vocal fireworks of Siouxsie Sioux but continuing the post-Martin Denny arc nicely, and on songs like "The Great Lie" and "Lady of the Gongs" finding a similar energy. Dammit contributes 'choirs' and 'chants' -- possibly his own vocal samples, possibly taken from other sources -- to add wordless, high-pitched vocal hooks caught somewhere between scat acrobatics and mantras, sometimes even aiming for a soothing mood as on "Travel With an Angel." The two add synths and other percussion instruments to flesh out the arrangements, from gongs to bells and more esoteric instruments like Balinese hand dorlaq. At no point do the two end up going crazy for the sake of it; Morphosa Harmonia is a carefully arranged and performed effort, a confection of sorts where the presentation is as important as the compositions themselves. The other guest musicians, mostly guitarists and bassists such as Kristof Hahn and Martin Peter (who collaborates fully with the duo on the concluding "Rien Na Va Plus"), do a by and large fine job of fitting in without taking over the tracks. ~ Ned Raggett