Doppelganger

Description

Fostering musical collaborations has been a key motivational force for DiN label boss Ian Boddy since the inception of the imprint in 1999. He has also made no secret of his musical heritage and influences, especially the 1970's German electronic music masters such as Tangerine Dream and particularly the late, great Klaus Schulze. So when, through a chance conversation with Harald Grosskopf at a music festival in the Netherlands, the opportunity arose for them to collaborate together Boddy jumped at the chance. Grosskopf has had an amazing career as a drummer working with many German music luminaries. Of special interest to Boddy is his work with Schulze on some of his finest mid-70's albums and this connection forms an emotional bridge to that fervent, shared musical heritage. However Grosskopf is way more than just a percussionist and his classic Synthesist album showcases the other side to his music with his very personal use of melody and harmony. Thus Boddy and Grosskopf combine forces in a stunning display of sequenced and groove based tracks that constitute the album Doppelganger. The album flirts with the so called Berlin School of music but goes way beyond it's metronomic straitjacket with Boddy serving up multi-patterns of shifting sequencer lines underpinned by Grosskopf's mesmerising percussion grooves. There are ample examples of Boddy's modular synth sound design on show, especially on tracks such as Boulevard Horizon and Dubnium. Elsewhere Grosskopf has a playful input on the track Livewire and indeed his keyboard playing are as much a part of this album as Boddy's own. The album ends with the stunning title track with its grandiose chords and processional percussion. Once again the DiN label forges into unknown sonic territory by serving up two unique musicians in collaboration creating a musical dialogue that is as inspiring as it is unexpected.