Ian Boddy Drive (Reissue) Play Sample:   56K Dialup   Broadband   Download Sample:   500K   1.5Mb (Excerpt from track(s) 'Alchemy')

Amazingly more than 15 years ago Ian Boddy recorded 'Drive' and for my money it stands out as one of his finest releases. One of the most respected and enduring musicians of the British E.M. scene, Boddy's career path has been fascinating as he has experimented with the many sub-genres of electronica. However, 'Drive' is one of his more commercial and accessible releases and yet there is plenty of variation on offer here but the unifying factor is the high quality of the music.

Bass sequencer and infectious rhythms kick start the opening title track into life and the strident dramatic chords add a sense of drama as Boddy weaves a strong melody into the mix and improvises impressively against the driving sequencers. A cracking start.

'Ice Horizon' builds more slowly and its glacial atmospherics are offset by Boddy's melodies and flutey synth lines which cross fade into 'Alchemy'. A steady backbeat fades in with the strong bass sequence and Boddy adds further layers of keyboards and improvises here with a distinctly eastern influence. As the piece develops a sense of urgency, menace even, is achieved by the biting beats and the atmospherics. 'Crucifixus' is an arrangement of Antioni Lotti's, (1667-1740), piece and is a lush orchestral interpretation providing a strong contrast to its predecessor and successor. 'Atlantis' has a more abstract beginning followed by a few lines of narration and then takes on a more epic grandeur with powerful chords and rhythms preceding the prominent sequencing and powerhouse rhythms which eventually give way to a little more narration and the gradual wind down.

An early indication of Boddy's interest in the sea, evident throughout another classic, 'The Deep'. 'Analogagogalog' begins with distant explosions before the driving rhythms and sequencers quickly gain ascendancy and Boddy adds melodic colour to the sonic tapestry. 'Freeway', another strongly rhythmic piece, is powered by bass sequencers and anthemic theme with Boddy's carefully crafted melodic improvisations providing the focus towards the end. 'Southern Comfort' is similar in style but lighter in tone with some classical phrasings and Boddy adds jazzier timbres to impress the listener with his range and accompany the drums, sequencing and arpeggios. 'Heaven's Gate' concludes the set and finishes the album with a strong sense of drama and majesty with choral effects and classical treatments being eventually backed by rhythms.