Exposé Magazine
(08/03)

INDIUM
Richard Bone

     Indium is American composer Richard Bone's latest electronic ambient album. The CD contains new material and some music written for the First International Festival of ELectronic, Electroacoustic, Experimental and Avant-Garde Music in St. Petersburg -- an event headed by Indium producer Artemiy Artemiev. "Indium P-1" sets the tone for the rest of the album and is focused around soft piano and synth parts elevating over a backdrop of atmospheric samples and washes. Piano and string-based synth sounds provide most of the melodic content in the songs. In the last couple of tracks, the piano is absent and the ethereal sweeping synth textures take center stage. Lots of the background sounds and swirls are brittle and metallic sounding electronic tones, but remain fluid nevertheless. The album's closer "Indium P-II" is a good example of this. This 30-minute track also provides the soundtrack to a recent limited-edition ambient video, also called Indium. Perhaps this clangorous aspect of the compositions is the origin of the album's title? All the instruments on Indium sound keyboard or computer based. Sampling notwithstanding, there aren't any obvious percussion, bass, or guitar instruments used. That's not to say Bone uses everyday or run-of-the-mill keyboard patches. The tone selection actually sounds quite vibrant and shifting. He does a good job keeping the music interesting, even though the pace is slow and tranquil throughout. Electronic ambient fans should enjoy this.

 - Mike Grimes