Nodens Ictus

Nodens Ictus

Nodens Ictus is a British ambient and psychedelic group formed in 1986 as an offshoot of Ozric Tentacles. It begins as a side project for Ozric Tentacles guitarist Ed Wynne and keyboardist Joie Hinton, after promoters at the Crypt club in Deptford, South London, ask them to create an ambient set for a proposed chillout room.

Sound and formation

The group develops a style based on ethereal, Tangerine Dream-like soundscapes, using synthesizers, samples and loops. This contrasts with the driving space-rock associated with Ozric Tentacles. The band often performs out of sight behind a large amount of equipment.

Early releases and activity

The Grove of Selves, a limited cassette-only album, appears in 1987. It is sold initially at gigs and through mail order and later becomes a rare item of Ozric-related memorabilia. Because Ozric Tentacles are active and successful, Nodens Ictus performs infrequently through the late 1980s and early 1990s.

After Merv Pepler joins the line-up, the group occasionally moves towards electronica and dance music. Pepler and Hinton also focus on their techno-trance project Eat Static, which becomes successful enough for them to leave Ozric Tentacles permanently in 1994. The group remains active from 1986 to the present, with a line-up that includes Joie Hinton, Gregoor van der Loo, Merv Pepler and Ed Wynne.

Later releases and performances

Nodens Ictus returns in 2000 with Spacelines, a collection of older and newer studio recordings together with several live tracks dating back to 1988. The album is issued on Stretchy Records, the Ozrics’ own label. The release brings renewed interest and the band returns to live performance, including the Pongmaster’s Ball events in London in 2002 and 2004.

The group appears at Glastonbury in 2003 and then plays smaller headline shows in Exeter and London in 2005. In 2007 it performs at Solfest in Cumbria alongside Mixmaster Morris and System 7.

Discography

Albums: The Grove of Selves (1987); Spacelines (2000).

Known bootleg recordings: Live at Club Dog (1988); Live at the Angel Centre, Tonbridge (1989); Live at the Scala Cinema (1989); Live at the Brixton Fridge (1991).