Andrew Dobson has been recording and performing his particular take on classically-influenced electronica as Digitonal since 1997. Part of the late phase of UK melodic electronica, he came to prominence on the seminal Toytronic Records Neurokinetic compilation and a debut album, 23: Things Fall Apart, on the label shortly afterwards.
Since then he has recorded for Seed Records, Cactus Island, Uncharted Audio, B12 and long-time home Just Music who released album Save Your Light for Darker Days in 2008, followed by retrospective compilation Be Still My Bleeping Heart.
Charting a line from the minimalism of Reich and Nyman to the melodic IDM of Plaid and Boards of Canada, Digitonal is recognised for being one of the forebears of the ‘neoclassical’ sound, fusing live instrumentation with contemporary electronic production techniques. Musically, Andrew comes from a choral background and the beauty and atmosphere of early music is an ever-present influence.
Alongside frequent collaborator, Egyptian violinist Samy Bishai (Natacha Atlas, Seckou Keita), and a flexible array of musicians including cellist Jo Quail and harpist Kat Arney (Sunday Driver, Talk in Colour), Digitonal have toured extensively and have been in demand as a live act, known for their heavily improvised sets of great range and beauty.
New studio album Beautiful Broken is released by Just Music on the 4th of May 2015.
“a heavenly overture … sweeping bows and tumultuous build ups..if the bass doesn’t get you then the throb of the cello will”
Music OMH