Ochre is the electronic music project of Christopher Leary, Newcastle resident who first made a name for himself winning remix contests for Global Goon and the Zelda soundtrack. Since then Ochre has continued to imbue the traditions of IDM with a warm widescreen beauty and a taste for orchestral sounds.

On Ochre’s new album Like Dust of the Balance Chris and guest collaborator Benet Walsh (Plaid, Leila) extend the Ochre sound further into sonic space. Throughout, traditions of the modern era are woven together with more historic material, incorporating bells, mallets, and strings with synth percussion. “Raido” features classical guitar in a song seemingly influenced by the traditions of Spain. “Hang Garden” uses spacious string hits and coaxes Aphex Twin -style beats from an unsuspecting steel drum. “A Great Wave” is a microcosm of this album, featuring more familiar electronic elements and a handful of surprise turns over its five-minute span. The album swells with optimism but the chord progressions suggest enough introspection and contemplation to avoid feeling saccharine. It’s easy to sink into this luminous world they have created.

Like Dust of the Balance is out now on Benebecula Records, available on Amazon and Bleep. You can stream most of Christopher’s released Ochre music from ochremusic.com.