Stream production duo Team Morale's ambient and evocative debut EP, Satori [Premiere]

13 April 2015, 10:45 | Written by Jennifer Jonson

(News)

(Team Morale)

It’s evident from the very first timid and resonant guitar notes on Satori that Team Morale aren’t your run-of-the-mill “electronic duo”. George Cloke and Oli Dewdney are hard to pin down, fusing textures and influences to create a sound that is at once ethereal and intense.

“A Monument”, the opening track on the pair’s debut EP, is a short and scintillating blend of reverbed arpeggios and gentle xylophone strokes—this is, by far, the softest string in their bow. “They Lie Dormant”, which falls next, is just as ominous as its title suggests, with a brooding bassline gradually ceding to a buoyant beat for a gloomy ambient effect.

Team Morale definitely don’t deal in feel good dancefloor anthems; they’re far more devoted to sonic complexities and unlikely collisions (see: the moment the murky trip-hop feel of “Ubuntu” is augmented by an oud solo). “Totoro” starts off with a bit of wistful piano, only to build toward a blissful union of sun-kissed guitars and electronic handclaps.

Ultimately, Satori is an evocative first offering, tinged with emotional ambivalence and carried off with a precociously deft touch. Expect to be a lot seeing more of the duo in the coming months.

The pair said: "Satori has been in the works for over a year; a collection of songs produced and recorded in different seasons, cities and timezones. You can download the EP for free, or shoot us a couple quid if you’re feeling generous. Sit down, grab some headphones and a brew, and enjoy."