by Kris Handel
Morpho is the project of Chicago transplant Kristyn Chapman, who is also an artist/photographer, and her passions truly inform each other in numerous ways. On her debut, Morpho Season, she takes the approach of an observer in regards to subjects like memory, lost relations, nature, and outside environments with a tactile approach full of compassion and strength. Chapman's music veers between soaring guitars that shake and bend with force comparable to the vulnerable tones of someone like Doug Martsch and songwriting that mixes quaking emotions similar to David Bazan and Snail Mail. Morpho utilizes a sensitivity to the world around her with a steely sense of self-resolve and the acceptance of moving beyond difficult moments with confidence and forward momentum.
"Prism" finds Chapman reflecting on the emotions that come from capturing moments in time and dealing with the disconnect of romanticizing the past despite what the "reality" of the moment may have truly been. Here she channels a perspective of photographic pursuits while contemplating all the aspect of the change in time and circumstances that come to pass from capturing past memories with a tinge of the bittersweet. Chapman also tackles the end of relationships with a hearty determination and acceptance of truly moving on in pursuit of the betterment of oneself on "The End". She scales things back on this sweeping and aching folk ballad, delving deep into the dissolution of trust that heartache breeds, adding a sorrowfully twinkling keyboard line that matches so well with the resigned dusky chirping sigh of her vocals.
Morpho Season is a loud announcement of Kristy Chapman's solo embarkment and shows an artist who manages to build off strong emotional resonances and musical acumen that is strikingly compelling. Her guitar playing is her great strength, extremely fluid and expressive, changing style and tone, accentuating each song. Chapman's songwriting has a striking maturity and deft hand at expressing the complexities of life's struggles while also rising above darker moments and embracing lessons learned. With her debut, Morpho makes her mark in the present while also proving to be a musician we should eagerly look forward to for the future.