Personal - Vol 20 - Happy Birthday Patrick Cowley!

Morgan Geist

Metro Area, Environ, Brooklyn, NYC

This New Jersey native was initially inspired to take to the mixing desk when listening to the UK's take on Detroit, despite growing up to the sound of early synth heroes like Devo and New Order alongside early hip hop, jazz, and '60s Hindi film soundtracks. Soon after bagging his first 12" release on Dan Curtin's Metamorphic label, Morgan formed the Environ label, which raised the bar for releasing powerful statements of purpose which flirted with the styles of disco, techno, and soul, while proving an elusive temptress to all three. As one half of Metro Area, Morgan fused the sounds of bygone disco and boogie with the space and atmospheres of techno and house to create the breakthough Metro Area LP and 12"s, while racking up a bounty of remixes for the likes of Hugh Masekela, Telex, and Erlend Oye. We are, after all, products of our own environs.