The folks at Modified specialize in "interactive electronica" and Morpha is only one of their programs which dispense fast-paced eye- and ear-candy. The hyper-flashy MTV-like design style perfectly accompanies the (literally) endless and everchanging variety of beat-heavy sounds that will flow from your computer. (Headphones or quality speakers are definitely recomended!) The six modules within Morpha have different looks and means of "operation", but basically do the same thing which is add to and/or change the sounds of the current ryhthmic pattern. The sounds are ostensibly as slick and hip as the visuals, free-flowing with assorted styles and tempos which are overlain with literally hundreds of possible soundforms ranging from synth wails, to rumbling drones, to orchestral hits, to freaky effects, to spoken samples, and on and on. DJ Interactive (fig. 1) utilizes a "control room" scheme in which clicking on the monitor windows alters the sounds and visuals which swirl before your senses. Rather than simply clicking, Drag & Bop allows you to drag techno-colored spheres across a spacey grid network, with each movement leaving visual tracers and generating a new twist to the rich mix. Planet Groove offers (at least) 48 clickable hot spots, with each of its 24 different animated graphic windows split into two zones. London D'n'B (fig. 2) incorporates larger graphics into its pallette. In another MTV-style move, Modified weaves their own presence directly into the artwork (fig. 3) of Evolver. The entire program is actually a cleverly designed "Macromedia Director" presentation and as such, is simply amazing in its handling of so many sound and video components. My only complaint is once the dazzle abates somewhat, one begins to get the feeling they're not really "doing" much... You don't so much "control" the sounds as simply "affect" them... but hey, unless you're a control freak, it's still quite an ear- and eyeful. Morpha may come across to some as mind-bogglingly busy, like your very own case of information overload, but it's all self contained, if not completely under your control. If you're interested in some energetic, high-tech fun with sounds, click on over to the Modified and sample their wares, which are continually expanding. This review posted June 25, 1999 AmbiEntrance © 1999-97 by David J Opdyke (except CD cover art, rights retained by original owners).