DIN Label

Artist: Scanner
P: 2022
DIN 72
LTD 500 Copies
The second album for the DiN imprint by British Electronic Musician Scanner sees Rimbaud utilising a different toolset from his first album, An Ascent (DiN63), released in July 2020. Here he focuses in on several Elektron instruments such as the Analog Four, Analog Rhythm and Digitakt. Whilst his debut album was forged live in his studio during the start of the global pandemic here Rimbaud was after a lighter, more optimistic tone. Rather prophetically Rimbaud states that this album was indebted to the work of the Ukranian film maker Laris Shepitko. Indeed the title of the sixth track “Artemovsk” references the birth place of Shepitko. Furthermore the title of the album, “The Homeland of Electricity”, is taken from her 1968 film which was commissioned by the government to celebrate the October Revolution’s 50th anniversary, but was rejected by the authorities for not being patriotic enough.

Artist: V/A
P: 2022
DIN 70
LTD 500 Copies
INDEX07 is the seventh DiN compilation album and includes two tracks each from the titles DiN61 - 69. The artists on show this time are Ian Boddy, Nigel Mullaney, Dave Bessell, Scanner, Lyonel Bauchet and collaborations between Dave Bessell & Parallel Worlds and Ian Boddy & Markus Reuter. As with the previous six DiN samplers label boss Ian Boddy has mixed and cross-faded the 18 tracks into a continuous ambient mix that not only showcases the albums featured on the release but presents an exciting and varied title in its own right. It also highlights the varied and intriguing music that the DiN label offers on its releases from deep analogue synth grooves through vibrantly melodic instrumentals to powerful, epic ambient atmospheres. An intoxicating mix of the old and new beautifully presented in a slimline cardboard wallet with an extra flap which just adds to the value and collectibility of this release.Since the previous sampler album, iNDEX06 (DiN60) released in July 2019, DiN has not only celebrated its 20th anniversary but has also released its 100th album with “Nevermore” from label boss Ian Boddy. These are significant milestones for a niche independent electronica label with DiN finally getting some of the recognition it so justly deserves.

Artist: Lyonel Bauchet
P: 2021
LTD 500
“The Diver” is a concept album in that it alludes to an undersea world many of us will never visit. The five tracks segue into a seamless piece of audio that explore the hidden vistas and dark spaces of the deep sea. Utilising his vast musical experience Bauchet has created an astonishing sound world that ebbs and flows like the ocean currents. The attention to detail and immersive sonic textures sparkle on top of vast oceanic swells that travel from the peaceful and quiet through to darkly dangerous. Once again his use of the Buchla modular is evident with beautiful soaring and trilling Vangelis like lead tones. Underneath the sequencer patterns and restrained percussion bubble & roil building to subtle climaxes before descending back in to the dark depths. The life of a library music composer is very often rather anonymous so it is a great privilege for the DiN label to be able to present this album release from such a talented composer. Dive in to the sonic undersea world of Lyonel Bauchet and lose yourself in this stunning album.

Artist: Nigel Mullany
P: 2021
DIN 67
LTD 1000
Nigel Mullaney for many years has lived a life of relative musical anonymity preferring to inhabit the worlds of soundtrack and library music. Whilst he has been involved with several other collaborative musical projects it is only in the last couple of years that he has started to spread his solo musical wings with the album releases “31 Days” on DiN and “The Navigator” on Behind the Sky Music.
The last year has shown all of us how fragile our existence is and how vital it is to nurture a physical and artistic connection to creativity and those that surround us. The Turning is an album that was forged from the concepts and ideas first explored in the album “31 Days” (DiN61), a desire to capture the raw emotion of a live electronic performance coupled with the expression of Jonathan Jowett’s piano playing and Mullaneys work with the Elemental Chamber Orchestra. Modular & Moog synthesisers were used to assemble a deep sonic palette that reflects the emotional concepts of the album fused with a variety of studio sessions, acoustic recordings and Elektron machines. The tracks were all mixed on to a vintage Ampex ATR-102 using an SSL desk and numerous vintage outboard equipment.
The 10 tracks on this album, whilst dominated by modular textures and sequences take this style of composition to new heights in their truly widescreen cinematic landscapes. The opener “Lost At Sea” is a beautiful example of how to create such a journey in under seven minutes. The following eight pieces take the listener on an emotional travelogue before succumbing to the blissful closing of the album with “Nostalgia Bomb”.DiN label boss Ian Boddy curated the track selection and running order to create an electronic music album full of emotional complexity and hope. 

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: Parallel Worlds + Dave Bessell
P: 2021
DIN 65
LTD 500 Copies
The names of Dave Bessell & Parallel Worlds should be familiar to aficionados of the DiN label with various solo & collaborative albums under their belts. “Phosphenes” see these two well respected musicians team up for their third collaborative release on DiN. Following on from Morphogenic (DiN41, 2012) & Dystopia (DiN56, 2018) this new album builds on their previous work creating an imaginary Synthwave soundtrack. Bakis Sirros the mastermind behind Parallel Worlds provides the skittering rhythmic backdrop to the tracks over which he and Bessell overlay ominous bass lines, twisting melodies and creative sound design that recall a shadow of 1980s John Carpenter film scores. Bessell also adds his unique guitar style that he so effectively uses in his other well known side project with the synth quartet Node. Both musicians make extensive use of modular synth systems but in very different ways that perfectly blend together in these eight atmospheric tracks.The duo of Bessell and Sirros really do have a unique sound that is unlike anything else released in the world of electronic music and “Phosphenes” presents another chance to enter their darkly twisted sonic world.

Artist: Scanner
P: 2020
DIN 63
LTD 555 Copies
DiN label boss Ian Boddy who immediately contacted Rimbaud to invite him to produce an album for the highly respected DiN label. Rimbaud thus spent the next few days recording 90 minutes of new music using the very same set up he had used for this YouTube concert. Boddy & Rimbaud then curated these recordings to form this solo DiN debut Scanner album “An Ascent” (DiN63).
The nine tracks form a musical journey ranging from gentle ambient interludes through to pulsing machine like rhythms. There’s always a sense of detail in the sonic backdrop which is just out of reach. A sense of yearning that opens the album with the track “The Ascent” and flows through to the beautiful calm ending of the final track “Counterpointe”.
This is an inspiring album from this totally unique British artist and one that may have never come in to existence if it wasn’t for the strange times we live in. 

Artist: Dave Bessell
P: 2020
DIN 62
LTD 500 Copies
Dave Bessell is a familiar name for followers of the DiN label for his previous solo release, “Black Horses Of the Sun” (DiN47), his two collaborations with Parallel Worlds (DiN41 & 56) and being a founder member of synth supergroup Node (DiN44 & 55).