Ian Boddy - Modulations III (2023)

The Modulations series is a way for DiN label boss Ian Boddy to showcase his many, varied modular synth concerts and events. The first two released in 2020 & 2021 were released in digital format on the DiNDDL series as well as limited vinyl pressings in conjunction with Greek label Kinetik Records. However all live events came to a sudden end with the Covid pandemic and Boddy like the majority of musicians had to postpone any further Iive shows until this health crisis dissipated.

Resuming toward the end of 2021 Modulations III spans just over three hours of Boddy’s recent modular synth events with concerts in Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool. There are also tracks from an art exhibition opening, an outdoor performance and an exclusive track for the Werra Foxma label magazine.

The core of the instrumentation in these tracks are Boddy’s mobile Eurorack cases but this was bolstered by gear from Buchla, Serge and Moog as well as an array of pedals and effects and with the Liverpool concert his beautiful French Connection Ondes Martenot style keyboard.

As ever Boddy builds audio landscapes that organically build, drift and vanish into the ether. Analogue bass lines grow and act as a bedrock for a myriad of scintillating higher register sequencer parts. Mysterious atmospheres evolve and mutate with graceful beauty. Soft focus orchestral string sections emerge from dark spaces and bring light and calm to the music. The audience is taken on a journey which follows a different path on every performance.