TimeCode

6 reviews for TimeCode

1. D.Griffiths – Audion mag – November 15, 2014

   Review by D.Griffiths – Audion mag

   I think the enjoyment of this, the third studio album from Code Indigo, may depend upon how you take to new member Louise Eggerton’s “oohing and aahing” vocals. To be honest, I was a little dubious at first, but after a few plays I became hooked.

   After almost a year in the making, ‘Timecode’ is a major improvement over the rather patchy ‘Uforia’ and compares very favourably alongside their work on the excellent ‘Blue’ box set. The group remain centred around founder member Robert Fox and David Wright, together with guitarist Andy Lobban, who made such an impressive debut at the acclaimed Derby Cathedral concert in 1998 ( which is now available as part of the ‘Blue’ box set). They are joined by two new members, previously mentioned vocalist Louise, and Dave Massey, who handles rhythm and bass programming.

   Robert and David see ‘Timecode’ as a “Fresh beginning” for Code Indigo, with the significant contributions from Eggerton and Massey taking the band into a new dimension. It’s a shade more chilled than earlier works, largely due to the hypnotic bass rhythms that ebb and flow through the album, yet it still retains that unmistakable Code Indigo signature. Those who enjoy the bands gloriously Vangelis-like themes will not be disappointed and Andy Lobban’s superb, Gilmour influenced guitar work continues to invoke that Floydian feel from before. The beautiful, spine-tingling piano motifs are simply the icing on the cake, elevating Code Indigo above many of their contemporaries. The production, by Wright and Massey, is flawless. The ten tracks blend together seamlessly, creating 75 minutes of classic and timeless synth music. There are numerous hauntingly atmospheric passages interspersed between the rhythmic sections, and some pieces have a wonderfully poignant and melancholy air. The album is still peppered with samples, but thankfully these are rarely overdone and are usually interesting and thought provoking.

   ‘Timecode’ is a journey to savour. Even the seemingly over-sweet ‘Endgames’, (where Eggerton’s “La la” styled vocals invoke a Francis Lai soundtrack!) conceals a more sinister feel. ‘Zero Hour’ and the title track are two numbers that immediately stand out as future classics. With memorable themes and some stunningly beautiful moments, they are destined to become live favourites. For me though, pride of place must go to the superlative ‘Eden to Chaos’. Featuring sweeping synths and fuzzed guitars soaring over an upbeat, punchy rhythm, this has one of those melodic hooks to die for.

   Code Indigo’s debut ‘For whom the Bell’ remains one of my all time English synth albums. I think ‘Timecode’ is destined to become another. Definitely recommended!

2. Backroads.com – January 12, 2015

   The highly anticipated new CD from Code Indigo is a spectacularly realized disc that displays a few key changes alongside a new height of creative delivery. The sensual and stunning voice of new member Louise Eggerton provides ideal counterpoint to fluid, liquid guitar leads, which keep their Floydian elements intact. You can just about picture Andy Lobban striding to the front edge of the stage and reeling off his timeless signature runs.

   Add the production expertise of Dave Massey, who also added rhythm and bass programming, and we have a whole new Code to break open. Yet, at the foundation are the two aces, Fox and Wright, clearly in balance at the helm. Fox’s tricks and wizardry and Wright’s do no wrong approach build masterful transitions and tempo shifts that provide the basis for tasty guitar licks which are scattered throughout with a thin veil of restraint, both patient and majestic. The enchanting, crescendo-laden intros rise as if from a mystical fog, picturesque and distant in an ancient way. The flow of rhythms, keyboards, voice and guitar move effortlessly through the composed themes, with the usual traces of effects, alien voices, and whispered words adding to the mystique.

   A brilliant CD in all, and possibly their best effort yet.

3. Dene Bebbington – Wind and wire.com – January 12, 2015

   This fifth offering from Code Indigo sees the band’s founders David Wright and Robert Fox with a new line up including Louise Eggerton, Dave Massey, and Andy Lobban. It has some of the typical Code Indigo elements we’ve come to expect — great synth and guitar lines and melodies, heavenly female vocals, rhythms, spoken word excerpts, and various sound samples — but it is in my view their most accomplished and melodious album to date. Indeed, as both David W’s and Robert’s solo music has steadily improved over time so it has been with Code Indigo. The previous release Uforia begins well but doesn’t quite fulfill that promise further in, happily that doesn’t happen on TimeCode>Indigo.

   As the title suggests the main theme of the album is time, this is apparent both in the track titles and some of the spoken words. Time is also what you need for listening because there’s a whopping hour and a quarter of music here – and remember, some artists have churned out less than half that for an album. Over much of that time there’s a kind of serious and unhurried nature to the music, the pace isn’t slow by any means and in the occasional track it picks up noticeably. Nearly all of the tracks are very good, with a couple that particularly stand out for me.

   The third track “TimeCode” begins slowly with a continuous synth tone and some effects before getting into its stride with a voiceover talking about cosmology (and other things) while a percussive rhythm, guitar melody, and string synth melody form a nice mid-tempo structure. The “la la” wordless vocals are also heard in this piece to great effect, Louise Eggerton has a mellifluous voice that rounds the album off perfectly.

   The penultimate track ” Call of the Earth” is also mid-tempo, it’s based around a simple but effective synth melody and drum rhythm and also features layered vocals in “la la” mode plus speaking words near the end of the piece. Rounding the album off nicely is “Endgames” which includes some Pink Floyd style guitar. I found it curious how the style of the vocals and some aspects of the melody have a kind of Parisian feel; I could imagine this piece being used as part of a soundtrack to a French film.

   A high standard is kept up all the way through TimeCode>Indigo so it gets my vote as Code Indigo’s best album so far.

4. CDS – December 6, 2015

   With TimeCode, Code Indigo delivers an outstanding album that combines elements of orchestral electronica, new age and chill-out music.

   Code Indigo’s music draws upon a wide set of styles, including new age, orchestral electronica, jazz, chill-out, and world music. The tracks on TimeCode blend these styles seamlessly into a continuous musical work.

   On this release, Code Indigo is made up of Robert Fox and David Wright on keyboards, Louise Eggerton – vocals, Andy Lobban – guitar, and David Massey – programming and production.

   Four members have composition credits. They must have been very much in sync, because the tracks are endlessly melodic, and sound like the work of a group, not a like bunch of tracks by different people. While Fox, Massey and Wright’s keyboard work and programming provide the overall sound of the album, the importance of Eggerton’s vocals and Lobban’s guitar work can’t be overestimated. Eggerton’s wordless vocals soar above the tracks, giving them a sense of immediacy and humanity. Lobban’s guitar work is understated and tasteful. In places, Lobban solos over orchestral electronica backgrounds, creating an effect that is reminiscent of early Pink Floyd. In other places, he contributes distorted but subtle guitar chords on top of the synths, adding an extra dimension to the sound.

   The tracks on TimeCode are loosely themed around ideas of time and space.The CD starts off very slowly, with the track Existence. The track uses drones, synth strings and wordless vocals to build from nothing to a massive sound. This establishes the mood of the album and leads seamlessly into Zero Hour, one of the highlights of the CD. Zero Hour is a lengthy track that combines the contributions of the various band members very effectively. Massey sets up a chilled groove, while Fox and Wright create a lush backdrop for Eggerton’s vocals and Lobban’s guitar solos. The band members vary the arrangement throughout, sometimes building to a very orchestral effect, and at other times dropping down to almost nothing. Towards the end, the track gives Lobban some space for an extended solo. His guitar work shines here, melodic and a little bluesy, but not showy.

   TimeCode is another extended track that shows off the group’s sound. The band brings a rich sense of history of electronic and new age music to this track. The arrangement seems to draw on influences from the 70’s synth music of Jean Michel Jarre all the way to current tracks by groups like Afro Celt Sound System.

   The next track, Stasis, is a lovely interlude that focuses on Eggerton’s vocalizing. 24am is the jazziest track on the CD. It features a piano melody that builds as it goes up and down the scale, and a lovely chordal chorus. Synth harmonica adds to the effect. While the track has a jazzier feel, nobody breaks out into bebop solos; instead the track focuses on tasteful, mellow keyboard work.

   Eden to Chaos is another long groove. It maintains the chilled-out mood of the previous track, but adds a strong undercurrent of tension. The gives Lobban plenty of room to cut loose. He again delivers the goods, with some barely-contained soloing. This track should appeal to fans of the early space-rock of Pink Floyd and Tangerine Dream.

   The next two tracks, Foundation and Galileo, are shorter pieces that showcase the group’s arranging. Galileo is one of the most orchestral-sounding tracks on the album. It combines a horn-like lead melody with lush synth string backing for a lovely combination.

   Call of the Earth moves the CD into more of a world-groove territory, and has the most mainstream new age sound of the tracks on the CD. Massey’s drum programming features more of a ethnic feel than on other tracks, which adds some interest. While the track again highlights Code Indigo’s tight group sound, the track lacks the tension and hints of darkness that give other tracks more of an edge.

   Code Indigo wraps up the album with an extended track, Endgames, that has a blissed-out feel. This track has beautiful synth and guitar work. Here Eggerton switches from wordless vocalizing to sing “la-la-la-la”, along with occasional words, such as the CD title or the band name.

   Overall, this CD is a very strong release. The CD packaging has a 8-page insert that features layered images relating to space and time that is a nice complement to the music. Throughout the CD, the production is excellent. With TimeCode, Code Indigo delivers a solid collection of instrumental music that should appeal to fans of new age, space music and anyone that appreciates a laid-back groove.

5. Steve Roberts – December 6, 2015

   I’ve been privileged to have a pre-release copy of this album and it has been on heavy rotation since and is, in my view, the best Code Indigo release so far. Whilst being recognizable C.I. the music here is more chilled and assured with the band members gelling to produce beautifully subtle and wonderfully crafted pieces which cross fade into one long concept EM instrumental work. There is a distinctive undercurrent atmosphere which pervades the album, an ambiguous mixture of melancholic yet inspiring and ultimately uplifting music. With main members David Wright and Robert Fox creating their best work to date on recent solo outings it should come as no surprise that ‘Timecode’ is so accomplished and impressive. Andy Lobban’s guitar still gives the music an added, more accessible dimension, and yet the guitar contributions are generally more restrained than previously and given the important contributions of new members Louis Eggerton and Dave Massey’s excellent production, rhythmic arrangements, programming etc., ‘TimeCode’ is very clearly a band effort that has taken the best part of a year to produce.

   ‘Existence’ starts the album slowly with ominous drones, minimalist piano, ethereal voices, Stephen Hawking’s sampled voice, expressive chords and at around the three minute mark cross fades into the magnificent ‘Zero Hour’. Moody, brooding synths are now accompanied by restrained but pristine percussion, more atmospheric voice textures, quiet guitar licks and after two minutes a memorable keyboard motif insinuates itself into your consciousness before voice samples prequel a quieter interlude before a rainstorm crackles into the mix releasing more insistent rhythms and the main theme is reprised winding gradually down again with some fine guitar work. At around the nine minute mark a metronome and a single tolling bell reminds us fleetingly of earlier works and then a simple haunting piano scale changes the mood again as the piece winds down with the storm before returning before the track closes at around the 13 minute mark. A magnificent track. ‘Timecode’ begins slowly with Greenwich time signals, some sampled voices concerning space, time, the universe and everything, sequencers and rhythm guitar accompany an expansive orchestral melody with Eggerton’s expressive vocals adding extra dimensions to the mix. The wailing Floyd-like guitar touches, reminiscent in atmosphere to ‘Echoes’, make this a heady mixture which almost matches its illustrious predecessor. The main melody returns at around the nine minute mark with more wordless vocals.

   ‘Stasis’ is a shorter track featuring piano, a warm Tomita-like synth book ended with short time signals.

   ’24AM’ features a reflective, melancholic, piano motif with jazzier phrasings and dream-like echoed voices making it the ideal late night chill out track which proves in the context of the album’s running order, the eye of the storm.

   ‘Eden to Chaos’ clocks in at over 11 minutes changes the mood and is a wonderful example of carefully weighted dynamics and how to deploy light and shade and brooding electronica. The band shift closer towards the borders of electronic rock explored on previous outings but here it is even more convincing full of brooding understated energy, a perfect joyous marriage of electronics, rhythms, guitars and intelligent voice samples. Classic Code Indigo! ‘Foundation’ is a short two and a half minute tone piece featuring some expressive guitar work set against expansive, wide screen electronic backdrops. ‘Galileo’ is a memorable symphonic orchestral vignette with a strong motif. ‘Call Of The Earth’ deploys strong ethnic percussion set against a repeated, melancholic descending dream-like melody. Sequencers, voices and guitars are added and subtracted skillfully to the mix which by way of clumsy comparison nudges the band towards ‘Deep Forest’.

   Finally ‘Endgames’ concludes the set and may take a few plays to grow on you. Initially I was not too sure of Louise Eggerton’s ‘La La’ vocal lines, reminiscent of Jarre’s vocal excursions or more accurately a soundtrack to a French romantic comedy but it undeniably works and after more discerning plays even takes on a slightly unsettling, sinister air, once deployed by Mark Shreeve on ‘Legion’.

   However, comparisons are mainly redundant here as the band have clearly created and honed their own musical template and made an outstanding album with considerable cross-over appeal yet returning to emphasize their EM roots. The packaging, booklet and artwork reflect the high quality of the music and Robert Fox’s sleeve notes give the listener extra insight into the recording of the album, something I wish more artists would do.

   Timecode is a classic album and deserves to be a best seller.

6. Dene Bebbington – Wind and wire.com – December 6, 2015

   This fifth offering from Code Indigo sees the band’s founders David Wright and Robert Fox with a new line up including Louise Eggerton, Dave Massey, and Andy Lobban. It has some of the typical Code Indigo elements we’ve come to expect — great synth and guitar lines and melodies, heavenly female vocals, rhythms, spoken word excerpts, and various sound samples — but it is in my view their most accomplished and melodious album to date. Indeed, as both David W’s and Robert’s solo music has steadily improved over time so it has been with Code Indigo. The previous release Uforia begins well but doesn’t quite fulfill that promise further in, happily that doesn’t happen on TimeCode>Indigo.

   As the title suggests the main theme of the album is time, this is apparent both in the track titles and some of the spoken words. Time is also what you need for listening because there’s a whopping hour and a quarter of music here – and remember, some artists have churned out less than half that for an album. Over much of that time there’s a kind of serious and unhurried nature to the music, the pace isn’t slow by any means and in the occasional track it picks up noticeably. Nearly all of the tracks are very good, with a couple that particularly stand out for me.

   The third track “TimeCode” begins slowly with a continuous synth tone and some effects before getting into its stride with a voiceover talking about cosmology (and other things) while a percussive rhythm, guitar melody, and string synth melody form a nice mid-tempo structure. The “la la” wordless vocals are also heard in this piece to great effect, Louise Eggerton has a mellifluous voice that rounds the album off perfectly.

   The penultimate track ” Call of the Earth” is also mid-tempo, it’s based around a simple but effective synth melody and drum rhythm and also features layered vocals in “la la” mode plus speaking words near the end of the piece. Rounding the album off nicely is “Endgames” which includes some Pink Floyd style guitar. I found it curious how the style of the vocals and some aspects of the melody have a kind of Parisian feel; I could imagine this piece being used as part of a soundtrack to a French film.

   A high standard is kept up all the way through TimeCode>Indigo so it gets my vote as Code Indigo’s best album so far. Review by Dene Bebbington – Wind and wire.com