Various Artists 'Diversity In The Isles' Review

Artist: 


Various

Title: 

Diversity In 

The Isles

Label: 

Unknown

Released: 

25^th of March

Compiled (not sure Curated is the correct terminology) by my counterpart on the Chill Out Sessions Liquid Lounge this is the first in a series of releases, with the sole aim of featuring down-tempo artists (both established and new) from the United Kingdom who are currently active on the festival circuit. As the title suggests the intent is to cover a vast array of sub-genres ranging from psy-dub to glitch, trip-hop and jazztronica, new age to psy-chill and all points in between.

The gamble with a diverse compilation is will it be to everyone's taste and to be honest not everything featured on this album is to mine. However, that said there's plenty that is and it features a fair few artists familiar to me, which I mostly listen to already and some new ones that also appeal. OOOD for example are well known on the festival circuit and on occasion produce something a little more chilled than their staple psy-trance in this case a pleasant enough piece of well produced electronica. Pete Ardon (Orchid-Star) also features along with Helen Francis delivering a mellow piece of tropical ambience accompanied by plenty of birdsong and flutes. Whilst the ever-popular Bristol based psy-dub producer Globular delivers his usual antics to good effect and Manchester's Perpetual Loop leans more to his Digital Duvet moniker with some laid back Ibiza style chill out. 

Those few aside I'm also well aware of Northampton's Mosienko Project (also part of Trans-Irie Nation and Celt Islam's band) who fuses the pungi, oud and darbuka's of Arabia with electronica. As well as Welsh dub-punk Rev Dread who draws on the traditional roots and dub-reggae adding a modern twist. Narcose I'm less familiar with but did bag his 'They always come at night' an excellent track from the compilation 'Ethnomystica Vol 2' the piece featured here is an eerie slice of psy-chill with a lovely piano melody but doesn't quite reach the same heights.

Of the artists I'm unfamiliar with the ones that really stood out for me is Geoglyph whose contribution is a summery slice of harmonica fused ethnic dub. Whilst False Identity provides a lovely laid back guitar piece that would slot comfortably into a Balearic set. As would Ultramorphic's blend of Vangelis like synths, Pink Floyd'esque guitars, counter-balanced with horn and sax laden reggae.

Reviewed by Woodzee

Links

https://diversityintheisles.bandcamp.com/

Available for pre-order as of now with immediate down-load of Pete Ardron's track.