Ian Boddy
Chiasmata
CD / 10 tracks / 68.38 mins

This is Ian's performance at The National Space Centre last year. Many people who attended that excellent gig have asked for it to be released so here we are. We begin 'Gravity Well' with a huge wave of chaotic swirling sound, calming down after a minute to relaxing, shimmering pads.

It isn't long however before things become darker and a little eerie, acting as a very effective introduction for what is to come. We drift into 'Dark Matter' on the back of water droplet notes but the mood if anything becomes even more sinister as the drones get deeper with windy / breathy effects over the top as well as various other spooky sounds. The atmos lightens a little as we move into 'Ecliptic' and a laid back sequence starts up. A rather cool rhythm is added, not too energetic, but still enough to get my head nodding. 'Lightfall' is a soft floater, lovely angelic ethereal pads developing to quite spiritual proportions. 'Nucleotide' is the longest track. Initially it is all rather cosmic and takes a while to build, just gently pulsating along with a nice rhythmic loop complimenting the sequence. Gentle piano touches add that little bit of extra detail. The rhythmic content, however, is being added to all the time until a real groove is developed.

'The Mystic' quietens things down again, as we get lost in an abstract collection of spacey sounds and effects, sometimes subtle and at others intense. The title track is quite moody to start with then a pulse can be heard to which slow but strident drums are added. Things become even more urgent as a superb melodic sequence takes centre stage. In the third minute menacing lead lines make an entrance and the mood becomes quite malevolent. This is a piece dripping with 'attitude' and venom. Simply wonderful stuff! 'Kinaesthesia' takes us to the depths of the Earth with echoing metallic sounds and water dripping from above. It's an extremely atmospheric start out of which another sequence emerges, then another and another. This is only the start of what is to become quite a syncopated storm.

Contemporary rhythms are accompanied by sympathetic samples and some excellent lead lines to create a track which is so cool. 'Still Point' is, to start of with, another haunting number but then in comes the most exquisite melancholy piano lead line. The audience demand more. 'Mechanic Organic' whooshes into being. A hissing sequence bursts onto the scene like a locomotive racing down the track. In contrast however we get a delicate piano based lead line nestling in the middle of the mix. It works extremely well and is a good way to conclude an excellent set. (DL)

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