MOTM

Subject: [AH] mini reviews: dweller at threshold, robert rich/ian boddy


> two new cds arrived this week, one really new, and one about a year old.
> both feature analog modular synths.
> 
> first up is "ouroborus" by dweller at the threshold on the hypnos/binary
> label. released last year, this record features serge, doepfer, and MOTM
> modulars (plus plenty of digital machines) doing what modulars tend to
> do best: long, sweeping filter arcs, drifting drones, and the occasional
> pumping sequencers a la rubycon era tangerine dream. the TD reference is
> entirely appropriate in that DATT are obviously fans of this period in
> the TD catalog. so am i. big time. the cd falls squarely into what i
> would term "ambient synthesizer" music (appropriate for the hypnos
> label) and at times achieves the lofty status of "space music" (also
> apropo for hypnos). in other words, no beats (well, *some* beats, but
> purely synthetic and rather unobtrusive). DATT features dave fulton, who
> i believe has been on the list in the past, and john duval at the
> controls of the Fist of God, the planet's largest known collection of
> serge panels (upwards of 25, i believe).  a fine release that has me
> interested in the previous DATT offferings. Head music for drifting,
> tripping, and dreaming.
> 
> next is the latest from ambient/new age pioneer robert rich, whose
> collaboration with ian boddy, "outpost", has been released in a limited
> edition of 2000 copies on england's din label. rich has recently
> returned to his modular analog roots after building a large MOTM system
> (replacing his ancient PAIA setup) and releasing the "bestiary" CD last
> year. this features rich on his new modular along with his trademark lap
> steel guitar and flutes, while boddy offers synths, prepared piano,
> Metasynth and Pluggo (interesting to see a credit to a software effects
> suite, although Pluggo is much more than that....).  Since "bestiary"
> was a rather aggressive offering at times, i expected a similar approach
> here. the record opens with what sounds like prepared piano chords, then
> melts into a loping, gentle metallic rhythm punctuated by steel guitar
> like growls.  in the main, however, this is more of a dark ambient
> release, along the lines of rich's superlative "stalker" cd produced
> with lustmord several years ago. there is plenty of space between the
> sounds, and plenty of drones and fascinating shifts in timbre and
> texture throughout the hour. i highly recommend the cd both for fans of
> rich's ambient works as well as new listeners who are curious what a
> true electronic music icon is capable of producing.
> 
> hope this helps your purchasing decisions this year. both cds are
> available from http://www.hypnos.com
> 
> blake wilson
> 
> --
> m. blake wilson is OdysseySounds
>   email: mbw@...
>      web: http://members.cox.net/mbw/construction.htm
>         music: http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/242/matthew_b_wilson.html
> 
>           serge: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SergeModular/
> 
>