Tone Science – a sub-label of DiN records – has released Module No.2 Elements and Particles, a compilation that features music from nine artists working with modular synth systems.

The album features sounds of Eurorack, Serge, Buchla & Ciat-Lonbarde modular systems. The nine tracks show how varied and flexible these instruments can be. But label head Ian Boddy has curated both the artists and tracks so that the album will ‘flow in a musical way, and not just be a collection of equipment heavy demos.’

Here’s what they have to say about the album:

Tone Science Module No.2 Elements and Particles continues the journey down the rabbit hole of possibilities and sound worlds inhabited by artists and musicians working in this ever fascinating and varied musical field.

The album opens and closes with the ambient soundscapes of two tracks by Todd Barton and r beny. Barton is a world renowned exponent of Buchla modular systems as well as the Music Easel employed on this track. Austin Cairns (aka r beny) has a penchant for lo-fi looped synth atmospheres which combined, in this case, with a field recording creates a haunting, evocative piece.

The next three pieces by Bluetech, Parallel Worlds and Paul Nagle build up rhythmic and sequenced elements with a fascinating amount of detail that modular systems are so good at. They also all use various methods to produce a poly-rhythmic, fractal feel as patterns shift and change throughout their tracks. The middle of the album then sees a fascinating experimental ambient interlude by Dave Bessell (a member of the synth group Node) using waveguide physical modelling in the analogue domain.

The second half of the album has a rawer, more gritty feel with Richard Quirk building up a crescendo of wonderful textures in his track “Radar Hill”. This is followed by Hainbach using the exotic Ciat-Lonbarde series of hand built instruments to produce, in his words, a piece of “pure electronic music”. Nathan Moody then brings proceedings to a climax with a gnarly, muscular track using a Buchla modular system before the blissful ending piece “Marine Layer” closes out the 60 minute sonic journey the listener has just traveled.

Audio Preview:

Track Listing:

01 Floating World by Todd Barton 8:41
02 Magnetic Lullaby by Bluetech 6:36
03 Additive Procedure by Parallel Worlds 5:56
04 Euneirophrenia by Paul Nagle 7:52
05 Overtone by Dave Bessell 6:37
06 Radar Hill by Richard Quirk 7:22
07 Your Strange Glitter by Hainbach 5:02
08 Prophet & Loss by Nathan Moody 5:02
09 Marine Layer by r beny 7:02

Total Time: 60:24

Tone Science Module No.2 Elements and Particles is available now on CD or as a digital download.