Lin Gardiner, under the pseudonym Julia Sound, is once again captivating the electronic music scene with her latest release, “Quatre-Vingt-Quinze.” This album marks a significant shift from her previous works by focusing solely on instrumental tracks, allowing Gardiner to delve deeply into her experimental roots. Known for her eclectic approach and mastery over analogue and digital synthesizers, Gardiner blends textures from Native Instruments and Re-FX with classic analogue synths to create a soundscape that is rich and evocative.
“Quatre-Vingt-Quinze” is characterized by its intricate layering of synths, producing an ambient yet distinctly edgy sound. Each track is a testament to Gardiner’s commitment to sonic exploration, featuring hollow sounds, twinkles, and repeated sound fragments that weave together into a cohesive auditory experience. With a nod to the trip-hop influences of the 90s and early 2000s, Gardiner introduces harder beats into this album, creating a slightly more aggressive tone compared to her previous works while maintaining a bubbly undercurrent.
Beyond the music, Gardiner’s journey is equally fascinating. Having relocated from England to Canada twenty years ago for love, she immersed herself in the Canadian music scene, transitioning from working in top studios to exploring roles in video game audio and film and television post-production. Her current studio, The Sound Garden Retreat, located in a BC rainforest near the Pacific Ocean, serves as a serene backdrop for creativity and innovation. This album, largely produced in this idyllic setting, reflects Gardiner’s personal and professional evolution, emphasizing her ability to capture and expand the essence of electronic music without the influence of vocal tracks. “Quatre-Vingt-Quinze” not only showcases Gardiner’s prowess as a producer and sound engineer but also her ability to create a rich tapestry of sounds that resonate deeply…
