Horizonal is a new album by electronic music innovator Ben Neill featuring his self-designed computer interactive mutantrumpet. The recording is an ambient journey that blends Neill’s richly timbral melodies and textures with glitchy, minimal beats and deep sub bass lines. Using the unique palette of sounds generated by his instrument, Neill incorporates elements of future garage and deep house while keeping an ambient, reflective vibe with jazzy overtones...

Horizonal contains 6 songs (36 min, 51 sec) and the entire album is a sort of jazz / dance fusion. In principal it sounds like something that shouldn't work... but it does, and beautifully at that.

It's a jazz album for those that don't normally like jazz, and an ambient dance LP for those that normally don't warm to that genre. It's an album that is best listened to from start to finish, rather than picking out individual tracks.

I very rarely comment on album covers, but this is one where the imagery perfectly sums up the musical content (especially 'Entre Deux', I could really picture a lone otherworldly trumpet flying over the shores of the UK).

It's a beautiful, trippy fusion that everyone should listen to.

8

Nick Smithson