Forma

Brooklyn-based trio Forma create warm, smoothly flowing analog electronic music reminiscent of Krautrock, minimalism, new age, and ambient techno. Originally surfacing on the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Spectrum+Spools%22">Spectrum Spools</a> label with their 2011 self-titled debut, the group moved to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Kranky%22">Kranky</a> with 2016's Physicalist, at which point they began incorporating acoustic instruments into their sound.

They were formed in 2010 by Mark Dwinell, Sophie Lam, and George Bennett (who controls the electronic percussion), and quickly amassed countless hours of improvised sessions. Recordings from some of these sessions were posted on their SoundCloud page and immediately made waves on the underground synthesizer music scene, and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Spectrum+Spools%22">Spectrum Spools</a> (an imprint of <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Editions+Mego%22">Editions Mego</a> curated by John Elliott of <a href="spotify:artist:45btnwhUWFlR7Op5oTfDPv">Emeralds</a>) released the trio's self-titled debut album in 2011. The slightly darker, more focused follow-up, Off/On, was issued by the same label in 2012. Following the album's release, Lam left the group and was replaced by John Also Bennett of <a href="spotify:artist:3YPWHdqgE7UhSP79esa6Zl">Seabat</a>.

Forma went in a more dancefloor-centric direction with 2014's Cool Haptics, two 15-minute tracks of lush ambient techno released by the imprint of long-running club night <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22the+Bunker+New+York%22">the Bunker New York</a>. Two years later, Forma signed to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Kranky%22">Kranky</a> and released their third full-length, Physicalist, which was the trio's first release to include acoustic instruments. The trio continued their fusion of electronic and acoustic instruments on 2018's Semblance. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi