Slide is the studio album follow-up to Elemental (DiN25) and is the sixteenth full solo CD release by DiN label boss Ian Boddy.
Although Boddy has a well known love of vintage analogue synths he's never made a big deal of whatever gear he's used on a particular project as it's always been the music on each release that has governed what audio tools he's employed. However Slide is dominated by the sound and playing techniques Boddy has coaxed from a new musical instrument he aquired in 2008. This is a modern analogue version of the keyboard employed by the Ondes Martenot (invented in the 1920's) which utilises a wire and ring pulley system sitting in front of a keyboard via which the player can smoothly glide between notes and create natural vibrato. Furthermore a rocker switch on the left of the keyboard allows for the natural and subtle control of the articulation of each note. This instrument breathes new life into playing a synthesiser and allows for an incredibly expressive performance. In combination with Boddy's large modular analogue synth a series of beautiful, expressive tones emerge that are arranged over nine pieces. Indeed analogue sounds dominate throughout the album lending a gorgeously lush, warm sound to the tracks. Musically the album is split between three beautifully expressive legato pieces and six up-tempo tracks which employ Boddy's trademark inventive rhythms with soaring, expressive synth voices.
Thus even after a musical career spanning 28 years Boddy still has the ability to discover new ways of expressing himself and producing an album that will delight and surprise with it's musical inventiveness.
