• Bekki Williams will be releasing a trilogy of instrumental music albums based on Dante’s Inferno starting in 2009. Apparently there will be three albums released over a 12 month period, so one every 4 months, starting late in 2009, which means the releases will go on into 2010. 
• Electronic music composer David Wright will be performing in the USA in 2009 with guitarist Klaus Cosmic Hoffmann. The first concert will be at the Gathering concerts on Saturday April 18th. Although no further concerts have been announced yet, it is rumoured that a Wisconsin concert is being discussed. 
• The new Robert Fox studio album Evergreen is now available. They call the album a “Majestic tour de force”. Robert Fox is one of the leading UK electronic music composers and he also is -founder of the electronic rock band Code Indigo. 

Fox describes himself as “master of the grand soundscape and one of the UK’s leading exponents of melodic orchestral instrumental music”. He’s released twelve solo CDs and also works with label mate David Wright as part of Code Indigo.

Most of the music on Touching the Serpent’s Tail is symphonic electronica, with some tracks leaning more towards new age and others more towards ambient electronica.

Throughout the CD, Fox creates masterful synthesized orchestrations. He draws on analog-style synth voicings, sample-based synth textures, vocal samples and effects to create arrangements that are frequently very beautiful.

The highlights of the CD are the more ambient sections. On tracks like the fantastic kick-off track, Earth, Fox wows you with majestic but subtle synth orchestrations. Earth is an exceptional track, and a great example of symphonic electronica.

Another highlight of the CD is the reflective Of A Time Gone By. The track introduces a hymn-like progression, and then repeats it with added elements. First Fox solos over the backing, using a sax-like synth timbre. Next, Fox layers sampled Gregorian chant over it. He ends the track with a final variation which combines the chant and sax variations.

After the stunning first track, Fox moves more into melodic new age territory. These tracks showcase Fox’s ear for gorgeous synth orchestration, but the standard rhythm tracks make them less memorable. Instead of the rhythm tracks propelling the music forward, they often seem to slow the tracks down and make them feel rigid. One example is Strange Voices in Ancient Tongues. On this track Fox mixes in some sampled Gregorian chant and drops it in over a drum track. The drum track competes with the freeness of the chant instead of supporting it.

All in all, though, Touching the Serpent’s Tail is a very nice melodic new age release. When Fox focuses on the creative synth arrangement, though, the music is frequently gorgeous, making us wish for more synth orchestration and less pop new age arrangement.

On this album, Wright & Fox are joined by Dave Massey (production, rhythm and bass programming) and Andy Lobban (lead and rhythm guitars). The addition of Lobban makes this collection different from other Code Indigo releases, with guitars placed front and center on many tracks.

Chill is an excellent collection of downtempo numbers. The tracks have the haunting appeal of early Pink Floyd and Vangelis’ work for Blade Runner. Filtered vocals frequently burble around the mix, and echo effects take sounds from left to right speakers.

Throughout the CD, the synthesizer work is great, moving from ambient effects to melodic space music seamlessly. Lobban’s guitar work adds an emotional pull to the melodies and a sense of restrained power.

Highlights of the CD are Chill, a beautiful mellow track that backs a new age piano solo with gorgeous airy synth orchestration; Vapour Tales, which has a murky Blade Runner feel to it; and the excellent Culture Shift, which combines sampled “found sounds”, world instruments, tasty synth work and ambient guitar effects. Code Indigo also uses several melodies as recurring themes throughout the CD, and a consistent sound palette, giving the CD a nice sense of continuity.

Code Indigo’s Chill is a great collection of synth music that should appeal to fans of new age, ambient and space rock. Check the Code Indigo site for track samples and purchase options.

Tracks

• Autumn Fades
• Chill
• Vapour Tales
• Ten Degrees per Second
• Vapour Trails
• Back with Weather – Calm
• Back with Weather – Storm
• Vapour
• Cultures
• Culture Shift
• Vapour Tails
• Lost Radio (tuning in)
• Lost Radio (prog 1)
• Lost Radio (prog 2)
• Lost Radio (tuning out)