Ion – Immaculada (Restricted Release)

Multi-instrumentalist/composer Duncan Patterson is much beloved for his work with British metal/prog band Anathema, but he’s had a much wider career than that. Following a sojourn as part of the experimental cosmic rock act Anti-Matter, Patterson debuts his new project Ion with Immaculada. With a sound driven by various mandolins and bouzoukis and a small posse of lead singers on hand, Patterson eschews pretty much everything from his past to delve into string-based world music, particularly the Celtic/Middle Eastern fusion pioneered by obvious inspiration Dead Can Dance. “Temptation” (starring vocalist Lisa Cuthbert), “Return to Spirit” (with Laura Santos) and “Damhsa na Gceithre Ghaoth” strike that balance perfectly, fusing the minor-key tonalities of Middle Eastern music with the melodicism of Celtic folk for a pair of haunting tracks. “The Silent Stars” (featuring Viola Roccagli) and “Adoration” (with Vic Anselmo) come in more traditional folk packages – the former’s piano/flute arrangement puts it on the border of easy listening. Patterson threatens to dip into the cheese from time to time – dig the thunder storms on the otherwise austere and beautiful “Cetatea Cisnadioara” – but the tasteful delicacy of his arrangements and general loveliness of his melodies mostly keeps him on the side of the angels. With further development (and perhaps a dollop of Patterson’s past experience mixed into the DCD worship), Ion could very well turn into a major player in the worldbeat fusion game.

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