ION - Madre, Protegenos (digi) on sale

ION - Madre, Protegenos (digi)
After departing from Antimatter, Duncan Patterson (ex-Anathema) set to work on his next endeavor, Ion. 'Madre, Protegenos' can appeal to fans of everything from Antimatter, world music, and most things on the Projekt label. It is fairly minimalist in its approach, the album's true wealth stemming from its various layered soundscapes and the introspective ambience they recreate. These provide the dreamier elements of the album with an ominous and melancholic shade. Having Irish mysticism and an exotic Mediterranean backdrop as its essential cornerstones, the project has slowly evolved into an international venture, stretching over continents and oceans, with contributions by musicians from Greece, Ireland, Mexico, Australia and Italy. A rich array of influences are shaped into a multi-textured body of work, based around smooth acoustic instrumentation (where acoustic guitar and various percussions take a leading role, alongside occasional harp, flute or viola arrangements), discreet keyboard elements, and remarkable voices.