When people think of Scottish IDM, it's only natural that they think of Boards of Canada. But with LIKE DUST OF THE BALANCE, Ochre makes a case for his vision as well. "Circadies" has the skittering beats one would expect, but the harp-based melody gives it a new edge. The harp seems to be Ochre's instrument of choice on this album, but he brings in other textures too, like the low singing on "Whispers" or the more tribal percussion of "Dustlands." The classical guitar on "Raido" adds a whimsical folksiness, which the Italianate "Napolese" only amplifies. The steel pan drum on "Hang Garden" gives off a tropical feel, while "Pteron" delves into funk. But "Lunar Suburbia" returns firmly to spacious, warm IDM, with "A Great Wave" following up with twinkles. "The Balance" closes the album on more secure rhythmic footing. A lovely piece of work all together.

I cannot believe that noone has comment on this album as of yet! Ochre is wandering through some seriously beautiful modern classical and ambient soundscapes here. This isn't your average mechanically cold and harsh sounding "IDM" album as the discogs genre would suggest, oh no. While Ochres previous efforts, such as the classic "A Midsummer Nice Dream" stayed true to the more traditional glitch/idm electronic sound of things, this album plays along with a massive array of sounds of instruments, such as acoustic & electric guitars, violins, harps, hang drums, flutes, synthesizers, and even humming vocals, all of which are absolutely spewing out the most beautiful and otherworldly melodies one could imagine.When listening to this, I feel myself transported into some kind of Wonderland where I am guided around by the Cheshire Cat to unravel the big mysteries in life, or some other such place where only your imagination sets the limit for what is possible, as cheesy as it may sound. The amazing musical thing here though, is that although different and more acoustic than his earlier releases, LDOTB somehow still retains that same recognizable Ochre "sound" of A Midsummer Nice Dream and Lemodie. I'll admit that he was moving towards this in Lemodie, but that album wasn't nearly as acoustically pronounced as this is. The percussion has also changed in this album for a more acoustic one, often very cleverly layered to fit with the melodic elements that keep ever flowing around it. It is clear Ochre is not staying true to one formula to express himself but letting the music evolve. What he is staying true to though is the intricateness of his compositions. There are such detail to both percussion and melodic elements here that it's ridiculus. But don't worry, I am not going to review each song and put you to sleep. I am instead going to leave it to you to enjoy this work of art. But I will say this - don't expect to find favorites here making you skip some of the other tracks, as there is not a single weak track on this album. Just dive into this fantasy world that is Ochre, from start to finish, and you'll find yourself all warm and fuzzy afterwards!