Nórdika – Morfina (Album – ScentAir Records)
Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Mexican synth-pop artist Alejandro Marin is back on track. He unleashed this new full length album by the end of 2019. Since the project’s set up in 2008, an impressive number of productions have been released on ScentAir Records, Synthematik and Aquo Rec Records (which released the digital format of this new opus).
Content: Nórdika remains pretty faithful to its sound formula. The songs are clearly inspired by electro-pop music, but there’s something dark, melancholic and also minimal-minded running through the songs. The darker touch is emerging from the menacing bass lines while the melodies are carrying this taste of melancholia. There’re a few softer cuts featured, but the main part of the songs reveals harder kicks. The songs have been sung in English and Spanish.
+ + + : I’m not familiar with the entire discography of this band, but this work sounds to me as the most successful ones. Different aspects of the writing and production have been improved. There several noticeable elements like subtle little bleeps, melodic sequences, cool bass lines and the danceable side of the work.
– – – : The songs are pretty short and sometimes I would have liked to get some extended cuts. The main regret is the absence of a potential hit and that’s really a pity as this album is a nice, little surprise.
Conclusion: Nórdika is now active for more than ten years. I’m not saying this album will be the breakthrough, but it will appeal for electro-pop freaks in search of something different.
Best Songs: “Come With Me”, “Free Yourself”, “Sabor A Sal”, “Sálvate”.
Rate: (7).
Artist: www.facebook.com/nordikaoficial
Label: www.scent–air.com / www.facebook.com/ScentairRecords
About Nórdika
Nórdika is the solo synth-pop project of Mexican producer Alejandro Marin, active since 2008. The project’s debut EP, “Veneno Preview,” was mixed by Tom Shear of Assemblage 23, and Nórdika has since collaborated with Felix Marc of Frozen Plasma and Diorama, including on the 2014 single “Illumination,” which reached number 8 on Germany’s GEWC chart for four consecutive weeks.
Nórdika, tagged on Side-Line as Nordika, has released material through ScentAir Records, Synthematik and Aquo Rec Records, the label behind “Morfina,” reviewed here.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
