Boddy, Ian

Artist: ARC
P: 2017
DIN 53
LTD 1000 Copies.
“Fleet” (DiN53) is the seventh concert album by the duo ARC (DiN label boss Ian Boddy and Mark Shreeve). This fact alone should tell you how popular this musical partnership is in a live setting where they continue to dazzle audiences with their mix of live electronics underpinned by huge slabs of analogue sequencing. “Fleet” was recorded to multitrack at the E-Scape Electronic Music Festival in Halesworth, Suffolk on 13th May 2017. On returning to the studio this allowed Mark Shreeve to mix and master the resulting performance in fine detail to produce a stunning, dynamic album that preserves all the power and richness of their live show. The seven tracks, complete with enthusiastic audience ambience, spans almost 78 minutes for the next best thing to actually being there! What is most evident on this ARC album are the richly harmonic themes, most notably in the opening title track which builds and grows through a series of gorgeous melodies to it’s climax. Tracks such as “Soar” are more delicate in nature with distant mellotrons overlaid with intertwining sequencer patterns whereas “Crux” opens with a spooky ambient section before ramping up to a live sequencer fest that lovers of Berlin School electronica will lap up. ARC always like to leave the  stage with a bang and for the last couple of years they’ve finished with the track “Cherry Bomb”. Well the duo have outdone even that blockbuster with the encore track “Howl”. Starting with a whisper it finishes the album off with a real sledgehammer of a track that will surely become a favourite for ARC aficionados.

Artist: Ian Boddy, Klaus Hoffmann-Hook & David Wright  
P: 2010    
The 'Trinity' of Ian Boddy, Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock and David Wright present melodic instrumental, electronic music in the classic space music style, with infectious rhythms, glorious themes and loads of atmosphere, The music and indeed the entire performance, is all imbued by a strong sense of the three individual musicians.
However, the music is expertly disciplined to present a strong sense of the collective 'Trinity' and will not only appeal to fans of the three individual musicians, but should find favour with all fans of instrumental music with substance and style. Featuring stunning new takes on classic tracks from the extensive back catalogue of all three musicians, plus the awesome collaborative title track, this is electronic music to savor and enjoy! Recorded at the Festival of September 2009 at the Derby Guildhall, the music has been eq’d and digitally mastered with only minor edits to the actual performanc

Artist: David Wright, Ian Boddy, Robert Fox & Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock
P: 2009
"Sines of Life (Vol. 1) is David's 20th solo CD release in a career that spans more than 20 years and the album has been something of a labour of love, as explained in the informative 16 page booklet.
It contains new studio material alongside imaginative live re-workings of classic David Wright  compositions from concerts during 2007 and 2009 featuring guest musicians, and it's no understatement to say that it's a majestic tour de force of instrumental new age electronica.
The perennial favorite "Walking with Ghosts" is replayed as a brand new arrangement that is simply sublime and features another UK synth luminary Ian Boddy on keyboards and German guitar legend Klaus Hoffmann Hook, who also plays the Memotron.
Another beautiful reworking is "Beyond Paradise", this time featuring Hoffmann-Hoock on electric sitar, while "Just an Illusion" and "State of Bliss" are again completely new imaginings of the original album tracks that here feature stunning cosmic guitar work from Hoffmann-Hoock.
The remaining songs include the atmospheric piano based title piece, a previously unreleased live track featuring Robert Fox & Nigel Turner-Heffer titled "3 a.m." and a new interpretation of David's popular epic "Cassini" recorded at his 2007 USA concert.
The production is superb and with a running time of over 78 minutes this fitting anniversary album provides both quality and quantity. If you're already familiar with the work of David Wright, then this album really is a "must have" because the reworked live tracks are significantly different from the originals to differentiate this set from a traditional "Greatest Hits" compilation. If you're not and you're into good quality, melodic and emotive electronic music, then "Sines of Life" has more than enough quality to warrant your investigation and ensure your interest.
An album that's destined to run and run and a terrific addition to an already impressive catalogue.

Artist: Robert Rich & Ian Boddy 
P: 2002    
DIN 11
LTD 2000 Copies
"Outpost" is the first collaboration between British synthesist Ian Boddy and American recording artist Robert Rich. Both Boddy & Rich have been involved in electronic music for over twenty years but have travelled very different musical paths. Rich is best known for his many releases on the Hearts of Space, Hypnos and Release/Relapse labels. Boddy's numerous electronic albums on his Something Else Records label garnered respect throughout Europe during this same period. Ian Boddy launched the DiN label in 1999 in order to stretch the boundaries of contemporary electronica, and has released a series of exceptional limited edition releases including several of his own solo and collaborative albums.
Together, Rich and Boddy have concocted a mysterious blend of fluid electronic rhythms and impressionistic 50's Sci-Fi soundscapes. With tools ranging from vintage and modern analog modular synthesizers, prepared piano, metallic percussion, feedback networks, and digital signal processing, the two musicians have crafted a sonic journey to the remote edge of a future, lost civilization.
Unlike many other "virtual" long-distance collaborations, Boddy and Rich preferred to work together in the same space, allowing musical ideas to flow between them spontaneously. Boddy first travelled to California for a week, where he and Rich started recording "Outpost" in Rich's studio. A month later, Rich travelled to Northern England, where he and Boddy finished the album at DiN. Rich then completed the final mixing and mastering back at his Soundscape studio.
Full of surprising transitions and dynamic extremes, "Outpost" shows these two veteran recording artists stretching their music into new vocabularies. Four sections of the album feature pulsating rhythms from Rich's MOTM modular synthesizer. Boddy departs from his normally electronic voicings with abstract textural interludes on prepared piano, which he performed on the 1925 vintage baby grand in Rich's studio.
Interwoven with NASA broadcasts, ionospheric radio whistlers, Boddy's extreme Metasynth excursions, and Rich's signature steel guitar, "Outpost" promises to take the listener to new sonic terrain.

Artist: Ian Boddy & Andy Pickford  
P: 1995    
Boddy's first collaborative release with fellow UK synth musician Andy Pickford. A real powerhouse of an album it was premiered by the duo at the third EMMA festival, Sheffield in 1995. The typicall melodies of both musicians together with an atmosphere like Mealstrom and interesting sequences and rhythms of both artists! Wow, what a release!

Artist: Ian Boddy & David Wright
P: 2009
Two of the UK's foremost electronic music artists join forces to present a sublime album of gently rhythmic, melodic electronic music. Multi-textured soundscapes of chilled electronica that occasionally nods gently in the direction of Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk and Vangelis while always remaining true to the individual styles of Boddy & Wright, and more importantly, to the unique new sound this terrific collaboration has produced.

Artist: Ian Boddy + Erik Wollo
P: 2012  
DIN 39
LTD 1000 Copies
Frontiers (DiN39) is a musical travelogue through lands unknown although the sonic climate is very much influenced by the two musicians shared Northern European heritage. The album is book-ended by Vista & Ascension which feature Wøllo's panoramic chordal backdrops over which Boddy plays his now famous "Ondes Martenot" glissando synth lead lines. Between these two beautiful, haunting tracks the album is built around four sequencer driven pieces, each gaining in intensity and culminating in the intense penultimate title track Frontiers. These are interspersed with more abstract and atmospheric interludes, featuring field recordings the two artists have made in their own personal travels through their respective native landscapes. Constantly shifting in mood and tone, the album leads the listener across vast, open, icy sonic landscapes whilst periodically sheltering in more warm humane zones.
Expertly crafted by two renowned musicians Wøllo & Boddy produce a work of complex musical maturity that will open up it's secrets over repeated listenings.
DiN label boss Ian Boddy is as well known for his collaborative projects as for his solo output and Erik Wøllo is the eighth musician Boddy has worked with on the DiN catalogue. Indeed Wøllo's initial outing on DiN was in collaboration with Bernhard Wöstheinrich on the 2009 release Arcadia Borealis (DiN34). Bernhard has also worked with Boddy on two DiN releases (Moiré (DiN18) & Hemispheres (DiNDDL05)). This feedback and inter-connection between musicians with different musical backgrounds has always been one of the DiN labels main aims which continues to produce fascinating and unexpected results.
 

Artist: Ian Boddy  & Erik Wollo
P: 2018
DIN 54
LTD 1000 Copies
“Meridian” is the third collaborative project between DiN label boss Ian Boddy & renowned Norwegian composer & guitarist Erik Wøllo. Their previous project was the duos debut release,“Frontiers” (DiN39).
Both Boddy & Wøllo are prolific composers and they bring their wealth of experience to bear on this sophisticated, cinematic release. Playing like a travelogue to an undiscovered land the album opens in suitably haunting fashion with “Uncharted” with it’s fog horn effects shrouded in mist. The next two tracks then emerge from this atmosphere and create what will be the template for this album, a pair of uptempo, melodic pieces interspersed with reflective, slow ambient interludes. The duo effortlessly mix the analogue synth & string textures of Boddy with the intricate interlocking patterns of Wøllo’s guitar, that at times sound like delicate sequencer patterns. The rhythmic tracks slowly build in intensity throughout the album via the charmingly folk inspired tones of “Golden Times” to the climax of “Rescue” with it’s thundering Berlin School inspired bass sequence. The album ends as it began in a cold swirling mist as the fog horn returns to close the album in a suitably mysterious manner. Once again Boddy & Wøllo show their mastery of their craft both as composers and musicians to produce a stunning album full of sonic imagery and beautiful harmonies.

Artist: Ian Boddy  & Markus Reuter
P: 2013  
DIN 43
LTD 500 Copies
"Colour Division" (DiN43) sees DiN label boss Ian Boddy once again collaborating with German composer and guitarist Markus Reuter. They were both there at the birth of the DiN label, with their inaugural album, "Distant Rituals" (DiN2, 1999). Since then both musicians have grown in stature and widened their appeal, whilst periodically combining their musical talents on a series of further DiN releases such as "Pure" (DiN17, 2004) and "Dervish" (DiN33, 2009). Aficionados of the DiN label will be familiar with Boddy's musical exploits. They may not be fully aware of the plethora of work that Reuter has been involved with, including his extensive international touring with Stick Men (alongside Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto) and The Crimson ProjeKCt. Most recently he has overseen the world premiere performance and recording of his 60-minute masterpiece "Todmorden 513" by the Colorado Chamber Orchestra. "Colour Division" sees these two skilled musicians effortlessly continuing their sonic dialogue over seven mesmerising tracks. Several of these use one of Reuter's trademark guitar looped soundscapes as a starting point over which Boddy paints a glorious ambient tapestry of sound. His distinctive, singing Ondes Martenot style ambient lead lines call out on the opener "Borderlands", soon to be joined by a myriad of Reuters guitar tones. This strong initial piece builds to quite a climax with heavy electronic percussion and an exciting Moog solo from Boddy. By contrast the next track, the title piece "Colour Division", features a beautifully emotional guitar solo from Reuter. The more leisurely legato tracks such as "Crescent" and "Reveal" are like reflections of the duo's first DiN outing "Distant Rituals". Boddy's love of analogue modular synths sees distinctive bass lines and sequencing on the muscular "Fulcrum" and the more laid back "Beacon" which are overlaid with an incredible variety of fuzz tones and textures from the instrument that Reuter is no doubt a master of, the U8 touch guitar. Finally the album comes to a beautiful last passage with "Slowfall", with Boddy's restrained production complementing Reuter's sparse, crunchy guitar chords.

With a beautiful cover image by Polish photographer Szincza and an elegant digipak design this limited edition DiN release is yet another high quality, eminently collectable offering from the DiN label.
 

Ian Boddy:
Serge & Eurorack modular, Moog Voyager, Kontakt & Alchemy

Markus Reuter:
Guitar, guitar synth, loops & soundscapes

Artist: Markus Reuter & Ian Boddy
P: 2009    
DIN 33
LTD 1000 Copies
Having first worked together on the enigmatic ambience of Distant Rituals (1999) and the melodic complexities of Pure (2003), Dervish is Ian Boddy and Markus Reuter’s most challenging studio collaboration to date.
Recorded in England and Austria, the album contains a guest appearance by King Crimson’s drumming and electronics wizard, Pat Mastelotto. Inspired in part by the musical theories of 20th Century composer Olivier Messiaen, there’s a terse angularity to the compositions whose unexpected textures feature the appearances of a string quartet and a recorder player.
At a personal level, the music of Dervish and the creative methods used in its composition, have pushed both Boddy and Reuter into markedly different places, forcing each one to change their usual approaches.
At a 2008 recording session in Austria, having sampled Reuter’s Touch Guitar loops, Boddy then effectively “plays” the notes.

The result is a mirage of shades and colors in which it is impossible to determine the respective roles of the players. At times Dervish occasionally flirts with playful but punchy dance beats, off-kilter funk and stabbing percussive blasts that manage to be both unsettling in their apparently anarchic deployment whilst also providing a startling focal point.
Their microscopic attention to the album’s sound design ensures every track sparkles with intriguing detail that include the spiraling pat

Artist: Ian Boddy  & Markus Reuter
P: 2017
DIN 52
LTD 500 Copies
“Memento” (DiN52) is the fifth DiN CD collaboration between label boss Ian Boddy & renowned composer and touch guitarist Markus Reuter. They were there at the birth of DiN in 1999 with their inaugural release Distant Rituals (DiN2) and this latest work not only affectionately looks back to that album but forges ahead into new musical territory. The album opens with the powerful tour de force of “Gyroscope” with its ever evolving guitar arpeggios and thunderous percussion. The following track “Spindrift” has a mysterious harmonic feel highlighted by Reuter’s beautiful guitar playing & Boddy’s ambient production. “Linger” & “Stay” form a pair of soundscapes where Reuter’s guitar loop ambiences are intermingled with extraordinary analogue textures from Boddy’s Serge modular synthesiser. The former provides a breathing space within the album after the two opening tracks whereas the latter brings the CD to a gentle, drifting close. The title track hearkens back to the duos first collaborative album with it’s pulsing cut up treatment of a Reuter guitar loop soundscape and perhaps informs the listener as to the nature of this “Memento”. Although Boddy often keeps in the background in terms of lead solo work when working with Reuter the track “Deadlock” features an Ondes Martenot style synth line that soars above this dark emotionally laden piece. Once again Reuter & Boddy have proved to be a potent musical team with their balance of styles producing a complex, deep album. Effortlessly crossing genres between prog and ambient electronica it not only looks back to their roots but creates new sonic landscapes for the listener to explore.

Artist: Ian Boddy  & Markus Reuter
P: 2021
DIN 66
LTD 500 Copies
Renowned touch guitarist Markus Reuter has been one of the stalwarts of the DiN label, having been there right at the beginning in 1999 with his initial collaboration (Distant Rituals DiN2) with label founder Ian Boddy. Since then he has been involved with several other collaborations with Boddy, as well as with other artists such as Zero Ohms & Bernhard Wöstheinrich. Looking to do another collaboration with Boddy, Markus composed several long soundscape improvisations over the summer of 2020. The duo realised that with the pandemic they would not be able to physically work together in the same studio this time, as they had with all their previous work. Boddy then took these ambient starting points and using his vintage Roland System 100M modular synthesiser started to arrange, cut up and shape these into a coherent album. As well as a CD release this time both artists wanted this music to be presented on vinyl, so the work was conceived as two long 20 minute suites that would take up one side of a record each. Each suite is comprised of three distinct sections that seamlessly segue into each other. The music feels like a sonic journey, opening with the grandeur of “Citadel”, before heading off with the rhythmic slice of electronica that is the second track “Parallels”. Interlocking sequence lines and modular rhythmic treatments of Reuters soundscapes propel this piece along overlaid with beautiful guitar parts soaring overhead. The first suite closes with the title track “Outland” with a gentle, yet slightly unsettling atmosphere.
The second side opens with “Brood”, a huge claustrophobic track, before taking a gentle breath before the journey recommences with the beautiful rhythmic piece “Trails” that once again features Reuters trade mark liquid guitar solos. Finally all comes to rest with the end of the album and “Home”. A beautiful pastoral combination of Reuters exquisite guitar playing and Boddys emotive synth solo using his analogue Ondes Martenot style keyboard.
Composed to make the most of the vinyl format the fascinating musical collaboration between Boddy & Reuter continues to produce music of the highest quality.

Artist: Ian Boddy  & Markus Reuter & Nigel Mullaney
P: 2001    
DIN 9
LTD 1000 Copies
Boddy, Reuter and Mullaney offer a seamless blend of improvisation and composition in this latest disc taken from their appearance at the E-Live 2000 Festival in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
As you'd expect when three musicians of this calibre get together to perform on stage for the first time, there are moments of delicacy, robust experimentation and tangles of knotted rhythms with critical breaks and sequences which are guaranteed to have fans of electronic music salivating.
Moving somewhere between the transient hinterlands of ambient and dance, Triptych blurs the edges in swathes of lambent sonics, as layer after layer of shifting timbre and harmony coalesce into a music which is expansive in its vision and yet knowingly intimate in its detail.
Fans of Ian Boddy's distinctive use of atmospherics and colour will not be disappointed by this release and here he combines forces with Markus Reuter's heartfelt searing touch guitar and Nigel Mullany's innovative use of decks which has syntax and sound-pigments falling into forever.

Artist: Ian Boddy & Paul Lawler
P: 2007  
New Age, Atmospheric & Ambient.
Moods and atmospheres in commercial lengths.
9 tracks out of 33 by Ian Boddy.
9 tracks by Paul Lawler

Artist: Ian Boddy / Paul Lawler / David Kelly / Simon Stewart
P: 2009
The four musicians have compsed 33 tracks to cover the moods of the CD title. And they succed very well. Slow and mid tempo titles with nice melodies and gentle synths tunes.

Artist: Robert Rich & Ian Boddy 
P: 2005   
DIN 21
LTD 2000 Copies
"Lithosphere" is the second collaborative release between DiN label boss Ian Boddy & American ambient pioneer Robert Rich. Following on from their debut album "Outpost" (DiN 11 - 2002) the duo once again decided to eschew the false economy of a purely virtual collaboration and convened at Rich's Californian Soundscape studio to physically work together over an intense period of 10 days. Following Boddy's departure Rich then honed and fine-tuned the arrangements before finalising the mastering of the project.
Whereas "Outpost" was sonically 'out there' and was perceived by many to have it's heart in the realms of space music, "Lithosphere" has a more earthy, organic quality. Once again the album is centered around Rich's signature lap steel guitar voicings and deep bass machinations of his analogue MOTM modular system. However Boddy's input is once again unexpected in it's direction with astonishing sound design elements intermingling with delicate keyboard textures using high quality sampled glass & stone percussion instruments together with haunting string & woodwind loops.
One of the binding forces for this album was the duos decision to utilise an alternate just intonation tuning. This at times gives the harmonies a piquant flavour whereas at others a glistening quality that just adds to the sonic exotica that Boddy & Rich have concocted on "Lithosphere".
Boddy has always pushed the aspect of collaborations within his DiN catalogue and "Lithosphere" shows the true advantage such a philosophy brings to bear musically on the labels output. The album is a true reflection of the two artists combined efforts and could only have been produced with their joint work ethic. "Outpost" is one of the most popular DiN albums. There's every chance that "Lithosphere" could surpass the high standard that it's illustrious predecessor has set.

Artist: Ian Boddy, Ron Boots & Harold Van Der Heijden
P: 1997
Phase 3" is a live collaboration from Ron Boots, Ian Boddy and Harold van der Heijden. This trio has contributed much to the European ambient electronica scene through their Groove Records associations in the 1990's. Ian and Ron are legitimate superstars. Harold is a master ambient percussionist. This album has it all! The music ranges from dark and lush atmospheric ambient minimalism to up-tempo rhythmic ambience. The superstar and master tags are not wasted here. Ian, Ron and Harold perform to the nth degree. The album encompasses all that live ambience should be - introspective, challenging and diverse.

Here the last copy.

Artist: Ian Boddy  & Wöstheinrich
P: 2004    
DIN 18
LTD 1000 Copies
One of the aims of the DiN label was to act as a community of artists who could interact and colloborate in different ways. DiN 18 is a perfect example of this with label founder Ian Boddy forming a new creative partnership with Bernhard Wöstheinrich. DiN afficionadas will recognise the latters previous involvement as both one half of Centrozoon on DiN 6 - Blast and also Subsonic Experience on DiN 13 - Praposition. Furthermore Wöstheinrich, a trained graphic designer, has also been instrumental in the sense of design style that permeates the DiN artwork since DiN 10.

However the collaborative mesh involved in the creation of Moiré has further layers in that Markus Reuter, long time Boddy colloborator & musical partner to Wöstheinrich in Centrozoon was also heavily involved in the early editing of the pieces as well as guesting on bass on the track "Fractalise". Indeed the gestation of Moiré has been a long and complex process. Boddy & Wöstheinrich first got together in the DiN studio way back in April 2002 and played a number of improvisations utilising Boddys mastery of his large analogue modular system with Wöstheinrichs quirky & organic approach to drum & arpeggiator patterns. These sessions were then locked in the DiN vault for almost a year until Reuter opened the lid and intuitively edited the performances into a number of arrangements that formed the basis of the tracks on Moiré. The baton was then taken on by Wöstheinrich who, over the summer of 2004, further added to and sculpted the pieces into more refined forms. The final lap was then for Boddy & Wöstheinrich to finalise the arrangements & mix at the DiN studios in December 2004.

The resulting music spread over 10 tracks captures both the detail & complexity of arrangement possible with modern music technology with the spontaneous nature & organic feel of the original improvisations. Sonically it effortlessly ranges from classic analogue sequencer lines to deep, metallic atmospheres through to full on drum & synth work-outs. The majority of the tracks employ organic analogue arpeggiations together with muscular & unusual percussive loops to form the backbone of the music . Ethereal ambient textures provide a suitably surreal counter-balance to the solidity of the rhythmic structure to create a constant sense of flow & change within the compositions .