i! i!

It’s great that we get so many released CDs sent in by our readers and better still when they turn out to be really good and - i! is definitely a case in point! It’s the brainchild of Rod Brakes and is delightfully difficult to categorise. The album presents a series of soundscapes with the guitar being morphed into a whole new world of atmospheric and appealing sounds. Rod is obviously aware of when something sparks a creative idea; for instance About Tomorrow came from odd moments of channel skipping on a radio. There’s a Middle Eastern element here too that’s both strange and hypnotic and a very original way of presenting music, for although it retains an almost random element it’s actually structured to provide forceful dynamics with high and low passages. The two songs This Cold Distance and Watcher Watcher provide another important element with voices and phrases used to great effect throughout. This is unique and strangely compelling and a real treat to the ears. Available as a CD or as a download from i69i.bandcamp.com