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cardboard adolescent · 11-02-2008, 01:43 AM

Disco Inferno - D.I. Go Pop
1994

I suppose the first thing to comment on should be the “irony” of the title. Most would not call this a pop album. I do not really have a problem with calling this a pop album, at its core it consists of simple melodies and it caters to the tastes of a target audience. This does not say anything about the quality of the album, nor does it tell you how to approach listening to it. It's not the kind of album you can have a distinct impression of ten seconds in. Each song takes time to digest, needs time to let its internal structure unfold. All you get at first is chaos.

Musique concrète gets a distinct makeover; with more of a feel for mood and texture than a group like say Art of Noise, Disco Inferno shroud their songs in dense sound collages, with the individual sounds taking on musical color as they are modulated and looped. The mood is claustrophobic, like tightly constrained insanity, and the lyrics are pessimistic, the center will not hold.

These could be dissected Joy Division songs, revealing an even deeper cacophony. The use of crashing waves on “A Whole Wide World Ahead” is perfect. The album is almost over. You've reached the shore. You know it can only end with a yearning for more. Now you're standing on top of the cliffs at Dover Beach, staring into the abyss.

We'll hold our ground
till it's too tough to bear
Then we'll go somewhere safe
or at least go somewhere
Because the whole damn world
is mutual ground
And love is no shelter
from the madness around
All we need is a corner
at the edge of a map
And we'll be out of this place
with its dead ending traps

The song drifts into a dream, the waves have grown more violent, thunder, guitar, and slowly it all fades away. The sound of running footsteps in the snow is magical. Then bells, more delight, and for the first time vocals that sound somewhat hopeful. Something about Lazarus; magic, resurrection, yipee! What a delightful way to end an album. But apparently the landlady doesn't like it. That's pretty embarrassing. I mean, the woman is hearing my 18th favorite record of all time performed and she doesn't seem to be appreciating it at all. I'm nonplussed.

“In Sharky Water,” the first track on the album, kicks it all off, appropriately enough, with the sound of water being poured. The sample is looped in a complex, dynamic rhythm, as the drums pick up, only to be pushed aside by monstrous, pounding, minimalist bass. It sounds like a rock anthem trying to keep itself from collapsing. And quickly it does, back into water, and has to reassemble itself. The style of musical composition seems equal parts post-rock climactics and Burroughs cut-and-paste. It's love it or hate it, obviously. It can sound tremendously chaotic, and bleak, but that's the point. You only get as much as you're willing to give.

11-02-2008, 01:43 AM	#53 (permalink)
cardboard adolescent ;) Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CA Posts: 3,503	20 Disco Inferno - D.I. Go Pop 1994 I suppose the first thing to comment on should be the “irony” of the title. Most would not call this a pop album. I do not really have a problem with calling this a pop album, at its core it consists of simple melodies and it caters to the tastes of a target audience. This does not say anything about the quality of the album, nor does it tell you how to approach listening to it. It's not the kind of album you can have a distinct impression of ten seconds in. Each song takes time to digest, needs time to let its internal structure unfold. All you get at first is chaos. Musique concrète gets a distinct makeover; with more of a feel for mood and texture than a group like say Art of Noise, Disco Inferno shroud their songs in dense sound collages, with the individual sounds taking on musical color as they are modulated and looped. The mood is claustrophobic, like tightly constrained insanity, and the lyrics are pessimistic, the center will not hold. These could be dissected Joy Division songs, revealing an even deeper cacophony. The use of crashing waves on “A Whole Wide World Ahead” is perfect. The album is almost over. You've reached the shore. You know it can only end with a yearning for more. Now you're standing on top of the cliffs at Dover Beach, staring into the abyss. We'll hold our ground till it's too tough to bear Then we'll go somewhere safe or at least go somewhere Because the whole damn world is mutual ground And love is no shelter from the madness around All we need is a corner at the edge of a map And we'll be out of this place with its dead ending traps The song drifts into a dream, the waves have grown more violent, thunder, guitar, and slowly it all fades away. The sound of running footsteps in the snow is magical. Then bells, more delight, and for the first time vocals that sound somewhat hopeful. Something about Lazarus; magic, resurrection, yipee! What a delightful way to end an album. But apparently the landlady doesn't like it. That's pretty embarrassing. I mean, the woman is hearing my 18th favorite record of all time performed and she doesn't seem to be appreciating it at all. I'm nonplussed. “In Sharky Water,” the first track on the album, kicks it all off, appropriately enough, with the sound of water being poured. The sample is looped in a complex, dynamic rhythm, as the drums pick up, only to be pushed aside by monstrous, pounding, minimalist bass. It sounds like a rock anthem trying to keep itself from collapsing. And quickly it does, back into water, and has to reassemble itself. The style of musical composition seems equal parts post-rock climactics and Burroughs cut-and-paste. It's love it or hate it, obviously. It can sound tremendously chaotic, and bleak, but that's the point. You only get as much as you're willing to give.