Description
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Born as Fernando Corona in Mexico, the artist known as Murcof has been marking his territory on the music scene since the 1980s. Now residing in Spain, this electronic musician presents his audience with an array of sonic landscapes, ranging from ambient to industrial to acid house. Like his previous works, his 2024 album ‘Twin Color, Vol. 1’ encapsulates this diversity, staying true to his signature thoughtful approach that shows in his wide array of electronic experimentation.
Developed amid the solace of lockdowns in 2020, Corona has pushed the boundaries for this new album, creating a crunchy, motorik sound that takes its rightful place in his cerebral set of works. The album has a deeper emotional resonance, bred from gloomy reflections and an abundant sense of nostalgia, which Corona experienced while revisiting his pop-influenced material from his early days in the ’80s. Riddling with melancholy and poignant sentiment, every beat of the album creates an atmosphere of introspective motion.
Adding to the multi-sensory wonder of ‘Twin Color, Vol. 1’ is the partnership with Simon Geilfus, a visual artist from Brussels, designed an entire graphic universe to augment the music. Furthermore, the album marks the first collaboration between InFiné and IRCAM, a revered French institution for innovative music and sound.
Comparatively, ‘Twin Color, Vol, 1’ differs from other albums by Murcof. Corona envisions this album as a retreat back to his musical beginnings. Nevertheless, the album is imbued with the sophisticated touch of Corona’s matured innovation, making it a modern recapitulation of his origins.
‘Twin Color, Vol. 1’ reminds listeners of the work of artists such as Alva Noto, Biosphere, or Monolake, especially in its minimalist electronic elements. Yet, it’s a testament to Murcof’s ingenuity that he keeps us waiting and wanting for more. The cinematic ambience combined with artfully modified beatscapes in this album offer a fresh experience, recalling Murcof’s early work with the Nortec Collective while still managing to carve out new territories within the realms of post-punk and synthwave. Even when surrounded by doom-laden drones, the album cleverly alludes to ’80s sci-fi influences for a dash of the unexpected.
Behind the identity of ‘Murcof’ lies Fernando Corona, a master of sparse, minimalist electronic music from Mexico, later based in Spain. With the musical DNA of modern classical music and ethnic music, he has been revolutionizing the genre in ways that defy the norms through his compositions. Notably, the Murcof catalogue of work has evolved from containing electronic beats to solely focusing on sophisticated instrumentation. Corona’s talent for reimagining classical music, combined with his ability to collaborate with standout musicians like jazz trumpeter Erik Truffaz and pianist Francesco Tristano, proves that while his roots may trace back to the 1980s, his style continues to innovate and evolve with the times.
