OFF / ON
SP 024 OFF/ON is an evolutionary act of fissure, the opening of a rift in FORMA’s sonic landscape. The second LP from the Brooklyn cosmic synth trio of Mark Dwinell, Sophie Lam, and George Bennett, OFF/ON’s universe is darker, its terrain more enigmatic and aggressive than 2011’s critically acclaimed S/T. Recorded at the renowned Schoolhouse space in Bushwick, OFF/ON combines swirling arpeggiations, gnarled sequences, and deconstructed Motorik rhythms to conjure an atmosphere of entropic propulsion by unseen forces. Yet the emotional summits of OFF/ON are greater than those of its predecessor, its crystalline melodic peaks made more pronounced by the shadowed depths below. It is this synthesis that gives OFF/ON its singular vision; a sense of unity forged by its own inner tensions.
A year after their dreamy self-titled debut, the Brooklyn analog synth trio put a darker spin on their sound. At its core, OFF/ON is a record that thrives on possibility and hedged optimism.
Starting with as perfect a cutting-edge sound as one could want from 1979 -- zoned and droned keyboards, sequencers running rampant, and drum machine precision mania -- Forma continue their back-to-the-future love on their second full release, Off/On, serving up another batch of short tracks that all sound like they should be incidental music on Omni-sponsored documentaries.
A year-and-a-half ago, when Forma released their self-titled debut, the trio's dusty electronic sound perfectly mirrored their album art &md...