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Ian's first album from '83 mainly consists of sequencerwork and fast
rhythms, combined with dark and slowly evolving pieces such as
the beautiful 'Scorch'. The album fits in with the other UK electronic
music albums from that period, and is a good companion to Mark Shreeve's
'Assassin'. The title track is divided into five subtracks and is a classic
example of good old sequencing and dark, looming soundscapes. Fans of the
'typical' EM will find this album very much to their liking. The soundquality
of the CD is very good, certainly
when considering that the recordings are quite dated. The '93 bonustrack
fits the older material surprisingly well.
Ian Boddy - Spirits Something Else Records, CD SER007
The second one, dating from '84. Starting with a lively, rhythmical
piece, it instantly becomes clear that Ian is picking
up the thread from where the first album ended. While being in the
same style, it's clear that the music has evolved.
It seems most artists eventually have to have their go at a vocal track,
but the result is regretfully not always that interesting.
So I usually only listen to the second track until Brian Ross starts
to 'sing'. The third and fourth piece show some hints of Ian's later,
more symphonical work, but it are still mainly the rhythms (some from
live drumming) and sequences which push the tracks onwards.
This leaves us with the bonustrack 'Lamalode', which for once is quite
different to the rest of the album. The opening has some vague
resemblances to Klaus Schulze's 'Royal Festival Hall', after which
the track chances into a very emotional, almost classical piece
with strong melodylines. An unusual, but not to be missed ending. On
the whole, the album is a bit more difficult than it's predecessor.
Ian Boddy - Phoenix Something Else Records, CD SER009
Phoenix dates back to '86 and lets us hear a different Ian Boddy from
the previous albums, with a stronger emphasis on melody.
Just listen to the wonderful 'Watersway' on which Anna Ross performs
wordless vocals. This is followed by two shorter tracks,
which are slightly less convincing. 'The Necromancer' sees a return
to the earlier albums, being full of rhytmical and dark passages.
The bonustrack this time is a 25-minute live extract from the same
period as the album. It opens with a piece of 'The Climb'
and continues with Ian and David Berkeley improvising along the lines
of the first albums. In retrospect, this album is sort of
a transition between two periods and styles in Ian's music, during
which it wasn't clear which direction he would take.
Ian Boddy - Jade Something Else Records, CD SER003
Gone is the uncertainty of Phoenix, and it is only now that Ian's music
rises from the ashes.
Jade is without any doubt a wonderful album, without many distinctive
rhythms, but with beautyful melodylines and beautiful
arrangements. There are some Oriental influences to be found, switching
between relaxed and more driven pieces.
Ian is in top condition and that typical "Boddy-sound" is for the first
time to be heard in such a pure way.
Technically speaking there are also some major changes, most noted
in the crystal clear recording and new sounds.
Seldom can you find a musician capable of changing his/her style in
such a radical and successful way !
The bonus track 'Mantis' was composed at the time of the orginal album
and therefore fits in seamlesly with the other pieces.
Ian Boddy - Odyssey Surreal to Real, CD Real 098
In '89 'Odyssey', Ian's first CD, sees the light of day. The musical
style has progressed since Jade, and is more varied.
Some tracks, such as the opening piece 'Hyperion' sound very majestic
and grand, while others are very intimate.
There are various influences to be found, which give certain tracks
a very peculiar quality, almost like adding a pinch of
spices to the main course. Listen to 'Lammergeyer' for example, which
sounds a bit Peruvian
(conjuring up images of those Peruvian groups playing panflutes and
drums).
Also very apart, is the last track 'Chameleon' where Ian uses more
sequences.
Ian Boddy - Drive Surreal to Real, CD Real 095
With 'Drive' (from '91) Ian gradually returns to a more rhythmically
oriented style of music.
The tracks also sound a bit more 'cosmic'. There are certainly some
very good and inspired tracks on the album,
but for me it misses a bit of coherence throughout the album. In this
view, it has perhaps some parallels with 'Phoenix'.
Ian Boddy - The Uncertainty Principle Something Else Records, CD SER004
Ian returns to his own label with this superb CD from '93, which is
considered by many his best work so far.
As the title already hints, this album is rather cosmically inspired
, which also shows in the music. Both serene
and grabbing rhythmical pieces with nice sounds and 'fat' rhythms.
Fluent music without being shallow.
Don't miss this one.
Ian Boddy - The Deep Something Else Redords, CD SER006
Without any doubt my favourite Ian Boddy album, dating from '94. An
album full of masterpieces, sometimes intimate, then very
grand, now with a lot of drive, later very soothing. Compare it to
Jarre's Chronologie if you want, this album features the same
sort of 'interconnection' between the tracks: you put it in the player
and listen to it in one go. And when the album finishes,
I feel like instantly listening to it again. If you buy only one Ian
Boddy CD: buy this one (in my opinion of course).
Ian Boddy & Andy Pickford - Symbiont Something Else Records, CD SER008
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Andy Pickford, he's the most
lauded 'newcomer' on the UK EM-scene
(now already at his fifth CD) and also a good friend of Ian Boddy,
himself one of the best selling English EM-musicians.
How does the CD (from '95) sound then ? Well, different from what both
gentlemen have produced in their solo-careers,
this is a sequencer tour-de-force and for once NOT in the style of
TD and co during the late '70s, but very up-to-date with
even some ambient traces in some tracks. There certainly is melody
,but it's usually buried under the whirling storm of rhythms.
Now and again there's a humorous wink at the listener (such as 'Who
goes there ?').
For the people who like their EM a bit harder.
Ian Boddy - Continuum Something Else Records, CD SER011
A double live CD from '96 which is a compilation of a seven hour long
(!) concert. This is totally different from any previous
album and damned hard to describe. The ones of you who are familiar
with the modern ambient movement (eg Lifeforms from
Future Sound Of London), will probably feel more at home with this
music. The other KLEMmers might compare it to the
earlier work of eg Tangerine Dream (when they weren't heavily into
sequencers yet, as during the Reims Cathedral concert
for example). A similar atmosphere exudes from this set, but it is
certainly music with its feet firmly set in the nineties.
The two CDs of more than 70 minutes each, both contain one long piece,
which is conveniently divided in different (untitled) parts.
The music changes continuously and is generally speaking quite unearthly
and at times even ominous. Every now and then, you can
hear sounds you've heard on other Ian Boddy albums, but the context
is totally different. Music for attentive listeners who like to
get into things which are a bit more difficult.
Ian Boddy/Ron Boots/Harold Van der Heijden - Phase 3
This CD was recorded at the Newyear's concert at 'De Landing', a concert
which I unfortunately missed,
and now I know it must have been magic. As
with a lot of current CDs, this album consists of long improvised
songs, but that's as far as I would want to go in comparing it to something else.
This is NOT the umpteenth TD-clone, you hear a far more developed sound- and
sequenceratmosphere,
taking in all the good bits of Ian's ambient-inspired
release 'Continuum'.
'Tunnel Vision' is the perfect opener, with pushing
sequences and delightful atmospheric sounds.
This track segues into the quieter 'Eurasia' using a very emotional synth-flute solo.
The other tracks also serve a mix of enthralling rhythms, grand, dramatic soundscapes of both
acoustic and synth sounds and perfectly balanced live drumming (courtesy of
Harold Van der Heijden).
The three musicians must have been really on the
same wavelength that night, as there are some
breathtakingly beautiful
passages, where drumbreaks, samples, sequences and melodies just fit in
perfectly with eachother,
augmenting the other elements rather than drowning
out everything else.
Worth a special mention is the track 'Frozen Canal'
which was recorded during the (only) rehearsal:
terrific electronic
percussion and floating flute-sounds scetch the background for one of the
most emotional laden solos I've heard in ages (compare it to Johannes
Schmoelling at the end of 'A great continent').
In short: this is a must-have classic !!!!
(to be continued...)
Tom Coppens