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"D.I. Go Pop"
by Disco Inferno
By Webjockey Feral Cat Roundup
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Disco Inferno
After the first wave of punk subsided, it became clear that complete musical anarchy would not ensue, and that the punk would have to continue to grow like any other genre. Some took the attitude of punk to the mainstream, with the Talking Heads' paranoid world-pop packing auditoriums and disco-influenced Blondie hitting the charts. Other bands created new, less accessible sounds by adding artistic weight to punk, such as the brooding nature of Joy Division or the experimental ambience of Wire. The lineage of the latter camp leads to Disco Inferno, a band that gets only half of its name right. Their 1994 album "D.I. Go Pop", another misnomer, is full of angular post-punk riffs, looped samples of found sounds, and stark vocals. This is a unique album, and is a great listen for those that like a healthier dose of art in their art-rock.
"In Sharky Water" begins with a sample of water splashing, the rhythmic quality of which is enough to distract you from the guitar, bass, and drums playing a mellow interlude, that is until they unleash a Wire-like squall of rock that sounds like it had to be recorded in 1979. "New Clothes for the New World" has more in common with Brian Eno's solo work, with glimmering chime-like loops and percussive noise providing background for a harmonized vocal. The Eno influence continues throughout the album, as his collaboration with David Byrne, "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts", is a touchstone in D.I.'s use of samples.
Beauty pervades the album, especially in the closing ballad "Footprints in the Snow", incorporating the titular sample as well as serenely melodic keyboards. Singer Ian Crause has a distinctly British slant, sounding like a less manic Mark E. Smith of the Fall, but possessing a range of emotion. Although they can sound like so many artists that came before them, Disco Inferno defy any easy categorization or comparison. "D.I. Go Pop" is the sound of a band stretching the limits of rock music.
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