Ian Boddy & Robert Rich Lithosphere Play Sample:   56K Dialup   Broadband   Download Sample:   500K   1.5Mb (Excerpt from track(s) 'Chamber')

CD / 10 tracks / 52.43 mins

These two musicians are part of the bedrocks of the UK (Ian) and American (Robert) electronic music scenes, both with over twenty years of experience behind them. And it shows. What we have here is an album which oozes pure class. If anything it is even better than their first superb collaboration 'Outpost'. Lovely shimmering metallic touches almost sigh from the speakers giving 'Threshold' a rather cosmic feel. Some very deep throbs can just be heard. They are so deep in fact that I didn't notice them at first. We move into 'Vent' and a quirky percussive bass line strikes up with a haunting lead drifting mist like over the top. This is simply gorgeous- and gets even better as the lead now takes on a stunning hybrid guitar / flute sound which I hadn't heard the likes of before. 'Chamber' becomes somewhat more percussive, the syncopations being delicate but also fascinating and mesmerizing at the same time. The lead line is just as impressive and melancholy as on the previous track. As we move into 'Glass' things take a much darker and aquatic twist. It is almost as if we are listening to boats and floats banging together as they drift in the wind but all from an under the water perspective. By the half way mark these images have changed as high register blissful drones make a return. Just close your eyes and be uplifted by it. Splashing rhythms come back for 'Subduction' accompanied by slightly eerie, windy, sonic colour. This is so delicate but at the same time stunningly beautiful, in a melancholy sort of way. I couldn't help but be drawn in by it- giving my full attention. Indeed I had to play it three times before I could pull myself away sufficiently to write this. Rhythms depart in time for us to transcend to 'Geode' and 'Stone'. And it is here that things take a decidedly 'odd' turn. Scraping sounds mix with little high register clicks. It is like some vast insect dragging a heavy object behind it. Bloody weird imagery I know - but the best I could come up with! Things then change as more percussive loops and spectral sighing effects make an entrance. Again it is fascinating stuff that grabs hold of you and demands your full attention. The whole thing is stripped down to just a little percussion then even this disappears and is replaced by more weird dragging / scrapping noises. Probably the strangest moment on the album. These noises disappear to be replaced by more sighing ethereal windy sounds and metallic string effects then grinding noises. 'Metamorphic' signals a return to 'normality', of sorts, as we float once again in the cosmos. It is as if we are in suspended animation. Very gradually however more deep sounds are added to the backing trying to gently shake us out of our sleeping state. A deep throb starts up in the title track as the engine is engaged then we get quirky percussion once again and stumble to wakefulness. That wonderful mournful half guitar, half flute sound then makes a welcome return lifting the soul out from the body to soar into the heavens. Simply stunning. We are brought back gently to mortal realms on the back of lovely glistening pads in time for 'Melt'. Things slowly become darker and more bass laden before ending with a section of ethereal beauty. This must be one of the best 'ambient' albums released in 2005 so far. (DL)

This page is part of a frame set. If you can't see the information strip to the left of the screen then click on the smd logo above.