Laurel Halo - Atlas

 

On these hazy evocations of another time and a mischievous subversion of the ambient genre, LA-based Laurel Halo takes only the merest suggestion of jazz standards and ingeniously manages to create something simultaneously relaxing, perplexing and disorienting.  Played at low to medium volume, Atlas creates a mysterious ambient soundscape.  At higher amplitudes the detail of Halo’s compositional ideas and creative approach to  production and sampling come to the fore of this dense but rich confection.  Plus, there are contributions from Lucy Railton on cello, James Underwood on violin, saxophone by Bendik Giske and the vocals of Cobey Sey spread over the ten pieces presented here.  These “natural” elements help solidify the music into a seamless fine aggregate coating every surface of our existence.  I used it daily as an effective relaxation tool for a couple of months back in the summer.  Having moved on in lightyears from 2015’s dubstep-filtered In Situ or her cinematic compositions on Raw Silk Uncut Wood from 2018, I feel Halo is developing an important catalogue – her recent release Octavia (INA / grm) is a composition for piano and electronics – a way of truly seeing/hearing the past in new and bewildering detail.  Pretty special, and unmissable.

www.laurelhalo.bandcamp.com

Ian Boddy & Dave Bessell - Polarity

 

Ian Boddy & Dave Bessell

Polarity

CD / DL  DiN87  DiN  2024

One of my favourite electronic albums from 2024, this.  Beautiful drift.  And it’s a live performance!  If you dig synthesiser music and you’re not familiar with the UK’s DiN label I urge you to address that at your earliest convenience.  DiN is a long-running label featuring the top-quality output of many interesting modular and synthesizer boffins, not least that of label head Ian Boddy himself.  Polarity was recorded at Awakenings; a music event organised by Phil Booth, Dave Buxton and Jez Creek at Lea Hall Pavilion, Rugely on 25^th November 2023.  Ian Boddy plays a modular set-up augmented by Moog Matriarch and Buchla Easel Command, while Dave Bessell uses his own Eurorack equipment with Minimoog and Moog Sub 37 alongside a Vermona Perfourma and electric guitar.  The music engages me from the get-go; propulsive, although definitely on the “ambient” side of electronica, the ideas flow fast and don’t let up.  The sheer presence of the material is impressive, as you would expect from modern synthesiser music, and extra props should go to Phil Booth, the evening’s soundman.  One of the best live electronica recordings I’ve heard this year, and I’ve been lucky enough to be exposed to some great live electronic performances this year from Mirror System, Entropy Zero, Armatures, Mazenta Z, and l’Anarchie Flotant.

www.DiN.org.uk