Boddy, Ian

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 & 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 .

Artist: Ian Boddy
P: 2019 
DIN 59
LTD 1000
2018 ushered in a fresh adventure for Boddy with a new invitation to play at The Gatherings. His past performances have found their way on to releases such as Shrouded (his 2000 show) and React (DiN29) with Robert Rich. Several of his Star’s End live sets have also been released on DiNDDL as download only albums. However the trip in 2018 produced what is in Boddy’s opinion, his best pair of performances to date and so he has decided to release a double live album to showcase this trip. The first disc documents his Gatherings show on the evening of 20th October in the beautiful St. Mary’s Church in Philadelphia whereas the second disc is his live radio show on Star’s End performed at 2am on the Sunday morning immediately after his Gatherings show.

The music on The Gatherings disc features some tracks from his previous studio album As Above So Below (DiN51) as well as new material composed specifically for this concert. Boddy performed the show playing analogue keyboards and a modular set up borrowed over in the USA alongside Ableton Live laptop work. Muscular analogue sequenced grooves are overlaid with atmospheric beds of FX as well as grandiose sweeping chords. The music gradually building up to the climax of the track The Thaumaturge from his As Above So Below album for which the audience certainly show their appreciation.

The second disc from the Star’s End show is a more introspective set with atmospheric string interludes over deep ambient soundscapes. The music gradually crystallises into a delicate sequencer on Spire before the full Berlin School sequencer work out of Apostasy. Full of haunting tones the final track Remnants closes the set which works as a perfect companion disc to the earlier Gatherings concert.

Altair thus shows Boddy at the height of his powers playing two very different concerts within a few hours of each other in very different venues. Produced in a beautiful fold out 6 panel digipak this double CD album is a must for both Boddy fans as well as lovers of live electronic music.