Boddy, Ian

Artist: Ian Boddy
P: 2016
DIN 51
LTD 250
Here the Vinyl version!
Ian Boddy, DiN label boss, has never been a musician to rest on his laurels. After the totally analogue, experimental “Tone Science” (DiN49) he now moves onto fresh sonic pastures with his new solo album “As Above So Below”. Boddy has always liked to play around with genres, mixing and matching styles to suit his current frame of mind. On “As Above So Below” he effortlessly combines ambient, classical & electronic music into a seamless, intoxicating sonic landscape. Boddy has been heavily involved in composing library music for many years that feature in TV, films and documentaries and he brings this filmic quality to bear on this suite of six tracks. The title track opens procedures with a great slab of slowly evolving orchestral chords that rise up out of a cold, ethereal atmosphere. Based on Prelude No.1 in C Major by J. S. Bach this awe inspiring opening piece sets the scene for what is to follow. Arpeggiating piano tones, deep Moog basses, ethereal string clusters & analogue sequencers all vie for attention in the following five tracks. The latter are at times light and playful with interlocking layers on tracks such as “Quantum Of Memory” and “The Thaumaturge” whereas an all together darker vibe is created on the deep bass pulses of the brooding track “Shrine”. The final track “One Day” finishes the album off in an emotional manner with rising string melodies above haunting felt piano arpeggios before finally disappearing back into the eerie atmosphere that opened the album. As usual this album will be released in the elegant slimline digipak CD package that followers of DiN will be familiar with. However there will also be a limited edition 180g vinyl album package as well which will include a download code. Both formats will feature a stunning, minimal image by photographic artist Wendy Carroll. Once again DiN have produced a quality release in highly collectable formats for all lovers of modern, ambient electronica.

Artist: Ian Boddy
P: 1983 / 2006
Boddy's classic debut vinyl release from 1984 was reissued on SER in 1995. This release saw a quantum leap in style & composition from his early 3 cassette only releases on the Mirage label.

Here the last copy!

Artist: Ian Boddy
P: 2022
DIN 74
LTD 600 Copies
DiN label boss Ian Boddy follows up his 2020 studio release “Axiom” (DiN64) with another vinyl album length slice of vintage electronic music synth heritage. Whilst there are many focusing in on the world of possibilities of modular synths to the detriment of form and composition Boddy uses his 40 plus years of experience to create six succinct slices of analogue warmth and emotion.
The title track which opens procedures is a case in point. Boddy crams into its seven minutes more drama than many would manage in a side length track. Soft textural chords soon give way to a pulsing arpeggiator playing from his venerable Roland System 100-M modular. Just when the piece seems to be settling into a cyclical groove a series of transpositions move the harmonic interest along before a climax of percussion and synth textures soar toward a stunning crescendo.
The next piece, “Messiaen M31”, in contrast is a calm, floating track with an unusual harmonic chord progression based on Olivier Messiaen’s music theory with a beautiful Ondes Martenot style solo line. “Rings” features layers of sequencers and arpeggios that twist and turn through various key changes toward another stunning climax. “Teutonium” is pure Berlin School with a thundering Moog bass line interspersed with edgy, glitchy interjections before subsiding to the calm, gentle fluctuations of “Flow”.
Finally “Silver Surfer” is a slice of Synthwave fun featuring the crisp tones of the 100-M set against a syncopated bass line and a beautiful Ondes Martenot duet over a transposing sequencer line. 

Artist: Ian Boddy
P: 1996
This 2CD set is edited from a 7 hour improvised performance Boddy gave in an art gallery during a Comic Art Festival within a sci-fi like setting. Many see this album as the bridge between Boddy's earlier, more melodic styles and the ambient textural approach he developed leading up to the formation of his DiN label in 1999.
The original pressing is now out of print but it has been reissued as a high quality CDr with the original sleeve.

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Artist: Ian Boddy
P: 1997
This disc has 15 tracks with 60 second and 30 second versions in a far more 'commercial' style than Boddy's normal output. However his recognisable style does show through on many of the compositions.
Could be described as music for a technological commercial. This was the first library Cd by Ian Boddy and many of the melodies sounding well known.
Library music CD contains tracks that are specially commissioned to be used in film and documentaries or advertising. Normally these type of CD's aren't for sale to the general public but due to demand a limited number have been made available.

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Artist: Ian Boddy
P: 1991 
The second release on Surrel to Real by Ian Boddy featured Julian Maynard-Smith on electronic wind synth. Drive's 9 tracks have a more structured, compact form than Odyssey but still retain Boddy's melodic style from this period.

Here the last copy!

Artist: Ian Boddy
P: 2006    
DIN 25
LTD 1500 Copies
With the release of "Elemental" DiN reaches it's quarter of a century of titles since Boddy's inaugral release "Box of Secrets" in 1999. This is his fourth DiN release with "Chiasmata" in 2004 and "Aurora" in 2002 being the other two. He has also been involved in collaborative projects on eleven other DiN releases working with musicians from diverse backgrounds. These include the American ambient pioneer Robert Rich, Throbbing Gristle member Chris Carter, German virtuoso touch guitarist Markus Reuter and UK synth artist Mark Shreeve. Such a broad range of influences have had a positive effect on Boddy's music and he has absorbed and distilled many of these to startling effect on "Elemental". Indeed this album shows off his chameleon like ability to constantly change and develop over what has now been a long musical career since his first cassette only release way back in 1980!

Furthermore Boddy has also composed several library music albums for DeWolfe Music Limited. These have often been atmospherically themed releases but by their very nature have to be compositionally compact . This has also influenced much of the music on "Elemental" which is certainly Boddy's most structured set of pieces for quite some time. The 8 tracks run in a continuous set merging into each other via ambient cross fades. The first, "Never Forever" and last tracks, "Elemental" have a grandiose, chordal character that nicely bookend the album. Four of the other tracks are strongly rhythmic and include hefty bass lines and intricate percussion overlaid with beguiling and subtle melodic themes. The remaining two tracks are in a more atmospheric, ambient vein and provide aural resting points in what feels like a musical journey. However "Elemental" doesn't have a spacey feel as found on his last two releases but exudes a more organic, down to earth approach.

Artist: Ian Boddy
P: 1989
This album heralds from 1989 and if memory serves was Ian’s first ever CD release. It marked the start of his mid period, finishing with the classic ‘Uncertainty Principle’ and ‘the Deep’. Unlike those albums however this one has never seen a re-release so of all the post ‘Climb’ recordings it is by far the rarest. But what of the music? Well you can’t beat a good old crashing sound to start an album and boy does the opening of ‘Hyperion’ crash! Then, in marked contrast, we get some lovely floating, soothing pads with little tinkling effects. A gorgeous plucked string melody takes us forward. Things become even more beautiful as we progress. A melancholy melody soars into the heights in uplifting Vangelis fashion. This in turn is replaced by plucked strings and then an almost John Dyson style lead line. ‘A Time Remembered’ is just as beautifully as its predecessor with acoustic guitar and flutey synth over exquisite synth washes.
‘Amazonia’ starts with appropriate rainforest type effects, ethnic flute and percussion. The pace picks up with a gamelan lead line then more flutey synth. Just after the half way mark it is all change with a sort of medieval rhythm that reminded me a little of one of the tracks off ‘Phoenix’. Very infectious and joyous stuff. ‘Masquerade’ provides us with more acoustic guitar and layer after layer of excellent melodies, which continue through, to ‘Lammergeyer’ that has a feel not too dissimilar to the earlier ethnic tinged ‘Amazonia’. Things take a darker and almost film music turn with the title track. Ethereal pads mix with orchestral and organ sounds to give a large epic feel. ‘Chameleon’ is a much more conventionally rhythmic affair, slowly winding up the pace until we are belting along, lead lines flying over the top. Ideal for air keyboard playing. It has to be said that this is Ian’s most tuneful and quite frankly undemanding album taking his earlier style and adding ethnic and even chamber music influences. It is the antitheses to what he was later to produce on his own DiN label. (DL)

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Artist: Ian Boddy
P: 2010 
DIN 36
LTD 1000 Copies
A 30 year retrospective of the music of Ian BoddyThey say a journey begins with a single step. Ian Boddy's journey began in 1979 when he walked into the studio at Newcastle's Spectro Arts Workshop. Intrigued by the sounds emanating from the banks of VCS3 synthesisers and Revox tape recorders, he started a 30 year odyssey of musical experimentation and adventure. Never following the mainstream or courting a band-centric musical path he has nevertheless forged a truly unique musical career. From the release of his first ever full album on the UK cassette label Mirage in 1980, he has gone on to issue 23 solo & 24 collaborative albums, performed over 100 concerts in the UK, The Netherlands, Germany & USA, composed 11 library music albums for DeWolfe Music and programmed several sample CD's & virtual instruments.  In 1999 he founded the DiN electronica label which has since become synonymous with adventurous and eclectic music. There have been 35 titles to date, including albums by Chris Carter, Robert Rich, Tetsu Inoue, Mark Shreeve, Markus Reuter & Erik Wøllo. Boddy's influence also extends into sound design where numerous musicians and film makers have used his sounds in their own music and soundtracks. He has over 300 library music tracks released via DeWolfe Music which are used worldwide on a huge variety of TV shows, documentaries and films. 
These statistics are impressive enough however what impresses the most is Boddy's sheer determination and presence of mind to follow his own musical path and create music and sounds that offer a very personal reflection of his own personality. Pearl is the 36th release on DiN and offers a retrospective of Boddy's 30 year journey. Released in a limited edition of 1,000 (with the first 300 being signed & numbered by the artist) , beautifully designed digipak format the music is split across two discs. "Outer DiN" attempts to bring together all his work outside of DiN. It includes his solo work stretching all the way back to the early cassette releases, three DeWolfe library music tracks and an excerpt of his sound design work. "Inner DiN" showcases both his solo and collaborative work on the DiN ambient label. Boddy has mixed both CDs into a continuous mix of music that provides a fascinating and unique way to experience the music of a truly original musician.

Here the last copy!

Artist: Ian Boddy
P: 2008    
DIN 31
LTD 1500 Copies
Slide is the studio album follow-up to Elemental (DiN25) and is the sixteenth full solo CD release by DiN label boss Ian Boddy. Musically it is split between three beautifully expressive legato pieces and six up-tempo tracks which employ Boddy's trademark inventive rhythms with soaring, expressive synth voices.

Although Boddy has a well known love of vintage analogue synths he's never made a big deal of whatever gear he's used on a particular project as it's always been the music on each release that has governed what audio tools he's employed. However Slide is dominated by the sound and playing techniques Boddy has coaxed from a new musical instrument he aquired in 2008. This is a modern analogue version of the keyboard employed by the Ondes Martenot (invented in the 1920's) which utilises a wire and ring pulley system sitting in front of a keyboard via which the player can smoothly glide between notes and create natural vibrato. Furthermore a rocker switch on the left of the keyboard allows for the natural and subtle control of the articulation of each note. This instrument breathes new life into playing a synthesiser and allows for an incredibly expressive performance. In combination with Boddy's large modular analogue synth a series of beautiful, expressive tones emerge that are arranged over nine pieces. Indeed analogue sounds dominate throughout the album lending a gorgeously lush, warm sound to the tracks.

Thus even after a musical career spanning 28 years Boddy still has the ability to discover new ways of expressing himself and producing an album that will delight and surprise with it's musical inventiveness.