For several decades David Wright has produced electronic music of a particularly majestic nature. Rich in an accessible blend of humanity and otherworldliness, this music has earned the British synthesist an international reputation for quality electronic music.
The following releases span the last ten years and are available in traditional CD mode or digital downloads.
DAVID WRIGHT: Romancing the Moon (CD on AD Music)
This CD from 2001 features 60 minutes of beautiful electronic music.
Regal electronics and stately rhythms produce captivating tuneage.
The electronics are dreamy and extremely fluid, generating passages of rich luster, with atmospheric textures providing a celestial backdrop for auxiliary electronics.
Keyboards are utilized to drive a certain degree of the electronics, but these present themselves in addition to the flowing tones instead of in place of them. The result is a consistent density that somehow manages to affect an airy fragility with their twinkling riffs.
The percussion is equally dreamy, establishing sinuous rhythms which support the melodies more so than propelling them. While certain passages employ conventional beats, sometimes the tempos are generated by the cyclic application of non-impact electronics pulsations, which bestow those tunes with a brooding allure.
Strings (both classical violins and strummed guitars, albeit all probably synthesized) lend a fullness to the music's scope.
These compositions display a remarkable beauty. The chords delve deep into the listenerÕs heart and tweak wistful reactions. The strings provide the tuneage with a sensitivity which is boosted with puissance by the rhythmics immersed in the flow.
DAVID WRIGHT: Reflections (CD on AD Music)
Originally released in 1989, these 50 minutes of lively electronic music were remastered in 2001.
Here, we have a balanced selection of dreamy material and energetic tunes.
The first song bristles with strong drums and whistling keyboards accompanying a series of ascending auxiliary electronic threads.
The next piece offers a romantic harp in tandem with a sultry harmonica to establish an ethereal sense of devotion which culminates with heavenly chorales.
For the third track, things take a spry turn with animated electronics and dramatic drums and calliope buoyancy.
Next we have a piece wherein the percussion is more steadfast (albeit paced), while reedy keyboard delineate a melody of endearing quality.
Followed by a song that uses harp again to achieve a sprightly presence, while detached percussives contribute a regal posture to the pastoral tune.
The sixth piece is a long track which pursues a more sedate temperament with languid tones and reedy keyboards and a white noise surf, all of which serve to conjure a progression headed for cosmic grandeur.
The last piece continues this gentle attitude with airy electronics enhanced by soft harp.
These compositions exhibit Wright's formative years, wherein he explored bouncy riffs with the same expertise as he delivered luscious songs of celestial beauty.
DAVID WRIGHT: Waiting for the Soundtrack (CD on AD Music)
This CD from 2001 features 59 minutes of stately electronic music, remastered from a cassette tape originally released in 1990.
Regal electronics and stately rhythms produce tuneage of staunch appeal.
The electronics exhibit a smoothly melodic flair, as keyboards delineate riffs of sparkling vivacity, enhanced by a degree of background texturals. The majority of the music constitutes melodic keys, though, with only minimal application of any atmospheric backdrops. The latter is often achieved through the use of harmonic keyboard chords relegated to a softer definition, supporting the lead riffs with their lilting resonance.
A selection of inventive sounds pepper the otherwise stately electronics. These novel embellishments serve to lend a quirky edge to the cerebral character manifested by the tuneage.
The rhythms are appropriately somber; expressing themselves in tempos that rely on slick beats rather than any forceful propulsion. Many of the songs possess no distinct beats, though, with cyclic electronics supplying gentle tempos.
There are some strings, but they are undoubtedly synthetic, despite their delicate presence.
These compositions achieve a celestial mien with their eloquent delivery of majestic melodies. The songs throb with a contemporary demeanor nicely seasoned with a classical edge, not one characterized by any orchestral additions (although certain passages feature a quasi-symphonic flair), but more prominent in the serious performance. But many of the tunes display a bouncy quality, too, as Wright expresses a sense of jubilation. This balance of stately and peppy makes for a delightful selection of music.
DAVID WRIGHT: Continuum (CD on AD Music)
This CD from 2004 features 77 minutes of celestial electronic music.
Majestic electronics and sultry rhythms create a lavish sonic tapestry to evoke the grandeur found beyond the EarthÕs atmosphere.
The electronics display a certain elegance (beyond the use of stately piano) which serves to separate the listener from any terrestrial familiarity and transport them to regions characterized by an otherworldly venue. Texturals contribute ethereal vistas which form firmaments of celestial eminence. Meanwhile, keyboard generated chords formulate engaging riffs which soar through this heavenly environment. The riffs are calming yet possess a puissant quality that is felt more by the heart than the mind. The melodies exude a distinct sense of optimism coupled with an urge to achieve greatness.
While the rhythms remain restrained, immersed within the embrace of the flowing melodies, their locomotion is vitally felt as the tempos imbue the listener's voyage with a softly buoyant attitude.>/p>
Operatic female vocals accompany the opening track, lending a cerebral importance to that piece. This sense of significance is reprised in the last piece's finale with masculine chorales. A few other songs are punctuated by some radio broadcasts which document the early Space Age.
These compositions pursue a long-form structure, wherein their central themes gradually evolve into luscious stretches of ambrosial tuneage. The shortest track is 11 minutes long, the longest 22 minutes. This aura of magnificence is wonderfully matched in the CD's final (and longest) piece, "Cassini," by a particularly riveting melody that flourishes with splendor with each progressive moment, ultimately achieving a pinnacle of emotional intensity.
DAVID WRIGHT: Deeper (CD on AD Music)
This CD from 2005 features 71 minutes of evocative electronic music.
Versatile electronics combine with lively rhythms.
In the first piece, nimble-fingered keyboards generate riffs of bewitching splendor, while sprightly percussion provides the tune with a decently energized disposition as the rhythms burgeon into complex patterns of bouncy allure. Synthesized horns play a vital role, imbuing certain passages with a dramatic air.
The second track adopts a more whimsical attitude with lilting keys cavorting over a sea of pleasant textures. Understated e-perc injects a suitable propulsion.
For the next piece, things get more sober. The electronics pursue a delicate melody rich with crisp emotion, while the e-perc remains submerged so its influence is gentle.
Track four injects an optimistic demeanor into the previous sobriety. The e-perc maintains a submerged set of rhythms, but a rich sense of courage infuses the flowing electronics, resulting in a piece whose inspirational mood can be quite infectious.
The fifth composition offers a change of mood with a bouncy tune that excellently combines snappy rhythms with sharper keyboard chords coalescing to generate an engaging melody seasoned by entertaining peripheral elements (which succeed in temporarily overwhelming the piece before things slide back into the prior agile mode.
Tracks six through ten comprise a 35 minute epic that begins with a pleasant atmospheric passage, leading to the introduction of enticing melodics that gradually evolve into a lush vista of sultry sentiments. After another soft interlude, the main theme resumes. As things progress, the song's majestic attitude gives way to more animated expressions, guiding the rhythms into livelier tempos and encouraging the keyboards to belt out a series of increasingly complex variations on the central sonic motif.
DAVID WRIGHT: Sines of Life Vol. 2 (double CD DDL on AD Music)
This CD from 2009 features 135 minutes of regal electronic music.
A collection of unreleased songs, live tracks, and alternate versions, ranging from 1998 through 2008.
"Rysheara" (live 2005) A windy opening gives way to rich notes punctuated by celestial texturals. Chittery rhythms swing into play, lending propulsion to the tuneÕs ascending majesty.
"First Call" Accented by cathedral litanies, piano chords and deep pulsations evoke a reverent passages.
"Kaleidoscope" Slippery chords merge with sprightly electronic embellishments, unfolding into a sonic flower of compounding variations, culminating in an atmosphere of heaven tinged with remote buzzings.
"Crystal Clouds" A delicate piano interlude accompanied by ethereal tones.
"Nomad" (alternative live version) Grandiose cybernetic crashes usher in agile keyboards which delineate a catchy passage. Rhythms activate, boosting the melodyÕs appeal with their bouncy tempos. Eventually, the tune is swallowed by a reprise of artificial thunder.
"Cosmosis" (live 2008 with Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock, aka Cosmic Hoffmann) A long piece (21 minutes) which begins with a tentative cycle that gradually accretes layers of inventive enhancement. Animated percussion, slithery melodics, additional snappy keyboards, metallic impacts. A series of touches of grandeur rise, each sequence swamping the mix with their symphonic pulsations. While much of the foundation comprises a series of looped riffs, they vary, generating diverse interfaces with each cycle, keeping the tune active and entertaining. The song spirals into a slick deconstruction, losing aspects until fading out.
"A Night of September" Pastoral keys waft on a breezy template seasoned by twinkling chords.
"Passing Through" Surging electronics bewitch the listener, drawing them into a realm of glistening keyboards and airy tonalities. Crisp notes set up a pingponging lattice to be enhanced by a bevy of regal riffs.
"Depth from Motion" A soft piece employing ethereal textures and twinkling keys.
"China" Another long piece (33 minutes) is steeped in Eastern flavor, as ethnic strings flavor the ethereal background punctuated by chugging electronics that gradually evolve puissance until dreamy majesty is achieved. Emotive bongos join forces with a host of subtle rhythms, propelling the tune into a state of energized activity. Additional electronics swing into play, increasing the songÕs overall animation. As things progress, the music becomes even more complex as new elements surface, creating a wondrous vortex of delightful pulsations enlivened by spry rhythms.
"Walking with Ghosts" (single version) A short track of bouncy eloquence, with sober keyboards defining a noble melody infused with mild tempos.
More than a decent introduction to WrightÕs music, this collection offers even aficionados luscious material that expands the manÕs reputation.
DAVID WRIGHT: The Spirit of Light (CD on AD Music)
This CD from 2011 features 79 minutes of pleasant electronic music.
A collection, featuring unreleased tracks, remastered material, reworked and new versions of songs.
WrightÕs music is marked by a particular majesty, often attributed a congenial bounce by agile rhythmics.
The electronics are versatile, but regularly feature a distinct slickness characterized by delicate resonance. While texturals are utilized, the majority of the melodies are generated by crisp keyboards. While so much modern electronic music is dominated by looping cycles, these tunes rely on constant variation, as riffs expand into diverse directions with charming result. Tender lilts are employed, giving the melodies a heavenly flair.
Piano often contributes a serious edge to the songs, delivering a pleasant sobriety.
Percussion plays a vital role in this tuneage, as tempos unfurl to provide nimble animation. Despite the importance of these rhythms, the beats are restrained to a medium volume, never pounding forth to swamp the melodies.
While a certain amount of diversity exists among the compositions, the central sentiment is one of relaxing passages that frequently evolve into stately structures of mesmerizing delight. The soothing melodies evoke a pacific calm with their dreamy flow.
A nice selection of WrightÕs softer side.
DAVID WRIGHT & ROBERT FOX: Before Time (double CD on AD Music)
This CD from 2009 features 99 minutes of graceful electronic music which is the original music for Code Indigo's "Timecode" project.
Stately electronics and pensive percussives create moody tuneage.
The electronics are mainly generated by keyboards, with chords crafted into sinuous melodies. Their sonic palette is generally gentle, conveying grace with each subsequent chord. The presence of traditional piano lends a familiar touchstone which effectively grounds the otherwise floating melodies.
A plethora of auxiliary electronics slide into play as the music progresses, these effects serving to decorate the flow with inventive variations.
The rhythms are often secondary although the beats contribute a vital (albeit often understated) embellishment to the flow.
Certain passages exhibit a range of symphonic sounds, synthetic strings lending the music a regal composure. There are several occasions in which the tuneage adopts a classical temperament, doling out textural threads of glistening beauty.
The compositions on disc 1 flourish with cerebral majesty, evolving toward pinnacles of grandiose eloquence. While seasoned with undercurrents of smoldering authority, the music's general demeanor is one of poised calm.
The second disc offers a more robust selection of tuneage. This vitality can be attributed to the inclusion of searing guitar and sinuous percussion accompanying the lush panorama of fluid electronics. Strong piano and synthesized brass inject a gripping flair to one piece, and the addition of guitar pyrotechnics escalate the track into a thrilling finale.
IAN BODDY/KLAUS HOFFMAN-HOOCK/DAVID WRIGHT: Trinity (double CD on AD Music)
This release from 2009 features 121 minutes of collaborative electronic music recorded live at the AD Music Festival in Derby, UK, in 2009.
Here we have a rewarding combination of three unique electronic styles: Boddy's limber tendencies, Hoffmann-Hoock's space music inclinations, and Wright's regal sound.
The electronics are varied, an expected aspect when a trio of accomplished synthesists join forces. Texturals unfurl with lavish grace, establishing a panorama of dreamy auralscapes to serve as a foundation for the diverse lead electronics.
Surging keyboard riffs abound as melodic resonances collide and intermingle to generate even more elaborate passages. The frequent presence of sweetly crisp piano chords creates an endearing counterpoint to the rest of the innovative electronics.Hoffmann-Hoock's astral guitar lends a delightful dose of searing riffs to the mix. Breathtaking ascensions are created via Cosmic Hoffmann's strings, emotional peaks that make the heart ache.
Rhythms play vital roles in the tuneage, although the majority of tempos are achieved through the cyclic application of non-impact electronics. These unconventional beats are harnessed to produce rhythms of a very enticing nature, rhythms that swim amid equally appealing pulsations.
A liberal presence of electric sitar can also be found in these tunes, often paired with Indian percussives.
These compositions serve to exemplify a stunning fusion of diverse styles that have blended together here in a highly favorable fashion. Chugging riffs spill over serpentine rhythms to result in tuneage of dazzling charisma, eerie yet reassuring, ethereal yet compelling. The second disc features some outstanding songs bristling with high energy.
CALLISTO: Live at Hampshire Jam 09 (CD on AD Music)
This CD from 2009 features 64 minutes of dreamy electronic music.
Callisto is: David Wright and Neil Fellowes (aka Geigertek).
Recorded live at the prestigious Hampshire Jam in the UK in 2009, this music is presented in two long tracks.
The first track features a smoldering opening in which random noises churn among themselves, after which sparkling riffs emerge with snappy rhythmics in tow. This music gradually evolves into denser expressions of the main theme, the choppy keyboards building into a flowing nucleus seasoned by engaging electronic embellishments. The percussion adopts a crisper presence, even mustering some bewitching puissance and contributing peppy locomotion as the flow slides into more complex variations. A softer passage is reachedÉ
Which provides a bridge to the second track, eventually giving way to a lilting stretch in which pacific electronics blend with sober piano to achieve a pastiche that is almost romantic in its mood. This period abruptly erupts with vibrancy as the electronics adopt a more demonstrative posture. The keyboards belt out a surging sequence which is swiftly joined by additional electronics, everything merging into a passage that seethes with delightful urgency. Twinkling keys intermingle with a bevy of ascending effects, all propelled by the prior surging cycle. And then the music takes a surprising plunge into even more frenetic velocity. The riffs agitate each other, producing a mounting tension with each subsequent moment. A reprise of the earlier quasi-romantic melody attempts to temper this acceleration, but each element ends up fusing together into an imposing finale that is rich with jubilant incentive.
An excellent performance featuring dreamy passages building to outstanding pinnacles of satisfying vigor.
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