DiN has released Elemental, the latest CD from prolific UK synthesist Ian Boddy.
Boddy keeps busy. His label, DiN, has released a variety of ambient/electronic artists over the last seven years. Boddy has collaborated musically with Robert Rich, Shreeve and Throbbing Gristle member Chris Carter.And Body is a leading sound designer, creating distinctive soundsets for Zero-G.
Elemental is a very imaginative ambient release that deftly mixes elements from 30 years of ambient electronic music. Boddy moves from glitchtronic sounds on Never Forever to retro-Mellotron pads on Stormfront, filling the tracks with creative synth work and creative sound design. The sounds are always in service of compositions, though, that work as both individual pieces and elements within a longer musical journey.
The CD is a continous mix, and is made up equally of ambient tracks and driving percussive ones. Highlights include: If all the World was Blue, a pensive ambient track that builds string washes over a slow pulse, before fading away into water sounds; Foundry, a driving percussive track that almost calls out for a techno remix; Flux, which starts out with ambient glitchy drones, builds to soft crescendo with layers of string sounds before returning to the glitchy drone feel; and the title track, which is more of an symphonic electronica piece which builds to a climax with soaring melodies and orchestral percussion.
Elemental displays an impressive range of styles, but also feels very cohesive because of Boddy’s tasteful synth work. The CD doesn’t fall easily into any preconceived category, but should appeal to fans of creative synthesis, ambient music, space music and orchestral electronica.
Tracks:
- Never Forever
- Stormfront
- I all the World was Blue
- Foundry
- Reflex
- Flux
- All roads lead to Home
- Elemental
