Ian Boddy - Polarity (2024)

With the DiN label celebrating its 25th anniversary it’s perhaps important to remember that one of the founding principles of the imprint was to encourage musical collaborations between different artists. Indeed label boss Ian Boddy has previously collaborated with eight separate musicians, including such luminaries as Robert Rich, Erik Wøllo, Chris Carter, Markus Reuter and Mark Shreeve (as ARC). Thus when the UK based Awakenings electronic music concert series invited Boddy to perform a gig alongside Dave Bessell an opportunity arose for a new, untried musical collaboration.

Bessell of course is no stranger to followers of DiN records with his solo work, albums alongside Parallel Worlds and his part in synth supergroup Node. Both artists played solo sets before joining forces for a stunning 60 minute joint performance. This album features the latter set which is split into two longer sections followed by their ambient encore.

Opening proceedings with retro abstract synth meanderings it’s not long before Boddy’s signature Ondes voice shines through the gloom and a calm, gentle section sees Bessell join in with the beautiful tones of his Aum guitar. After a brief ambient interlude Boddy begins to build a wall of sequencers brick by brick with Bessell soloing on Minimoog before the music all comes crashing back down to the eerie tones that started this set.

The second piece begins with unusual, piquant harmonic progressions from Bessell overlaid with pizzicato percussion. There follows a lengthy, extended sequencer session which is again meticulously constructed by Boddy and his arsenal of modular synths. Whilst Bessell provides an arc of ever rising chordal pads Boddy continuously twists and turns the ostinato patterns as this section rises to a monumental sonic climax.

Following such hectic, rhythmic textures the duo opt for a gentle, blissful encore with each artist improvising against each other with warm, analogue chords and pads.

Polarity again shines a light on the wonderful opportunities collaborations can offer, especially in a live performance where each artist has to not only play but also listen to, and respond to the other performer.