London-based composer and producer Marcus Herne adapts practices from classical minimalism, experimental sound design and electronic music to create an ultra-environmental sonic atmosphere on his latest EP, “Forms Redux”, which serves as a continuation of his 2021 release, “Forms,” and explores the delicate balance between the beauty and brutality of creation. While the original EP occupied an ethereal and cosmic space, “Forms Redux” brings a grounded human element that was missing in the initial iteration.
The title track, “Forms Redux”, blossoms from an ambient introduction to an orchestral free-for-all kept in place with militaristic percussive strikes. Built from three recordings of the artist humming the idea for the track, the piece masterfully assembles its disparate elements of minimal instrumentation and vocal nuances into a compelling track with as many peaks as troughs. With its ambient textures and sporadic rhythms, the track is a slow-burning journey, the impact of which may not be fully appreciable until the track has time to brew in the eardrums.
The three remixes from Tiny Hits, 95 DVDS, and David Foster Wallows are an eclectic mix of styles that help to realise the breadth of Herne’s creative vision. The Tiny Hits remix of “Wakes” is a high-energy tour-de-force with pounding percussion, celestial synth lines, and indecipherable vocals that create something absorbing and rather escapist in quality; its loud snare hits and neon-coloured textures are wandering and urban, and listening can feel like getting lost in a foreign city at night, guided only instinct. 95 DVDS’s remix of “Forms” is a techno-infused track with spattered beats that evokes a frenetic energy. Meanwhile, David Foster Wallows’ remix of “Wakes” is a bass-driven interpretation that combines the track’s ominous synth work and direct sing-speaking in a smoother way than that of Tiny Hit’s remix, though no more or less impactful.
“Forms Redux” by Marcus Herne is a high-quality foray into anything-goes electronic music production. The four tracks may all stem from the same source material, but their manipulations by collaborators expose the invisible elements hiding in Herne’s electrifyingly natural music.
★★★★