Diskodiktator – Degraded Faces
The Swedish synthpop outfit Diskodiktator took a chance last year when they released an interpretation of the classic S.P.O.C.K album “Five Year Mission” and the project is bound to release a new album every year for the foreseeable future. This time the energy has been focused on the debut album from fellow Swedes Elegant Machinery entitled “Degraded Faces”, originally released by Energy Rekords in 1992.
As last year was all about 60’s soul the new album is inspired by late 70’s disco with lush strings, honky horns and bass heavy grooves – all delicately put together by Diskodiktator ring leader Johan Billing who is also the head of the record label Electric Fantastic Sound.
The track list contains all ten original songs with smash hits like “Strange Behavior” and “Process” as well as forgotten gems like “State Of The Nation” and “Approaching Forces”.
The project is worked in a painstakingly detailed way Johan says: “We start with making a basic track with just the chords and bass line, then element after element is added until there is a massive brick wall of sounds and layers. New vocal takes and rough mixes are being made almost daily until we feel there’s enough and then the stripping begins with elements being removed, reworked and rearranged for a couple of weeks.”
The final recordings and mixing was done at an undisclosed location in Malmö, Sweden with unnamed session musicians. Johan explains: “There has been some controversy regarding this project – people have a way of not understanding our way of paying homage to what we think are brilliant albums. Our personal opinions hasn’t influenced us thinking so and there are no political ambitions on this album – it’s all about the music.” Elegant Machinery has raised some political issues among fans as one of the founding members is now placed in the Swedish Riksdag for the controversial Sverigedemokraterna party.
Diskodiktator who already has released a number of albums now focuses mainly on other people’s work with several high brow remixes for acclaimed artists like Freezepop and Color Theory and last year’s S.P.O.C.K tribute. “I still don’t know why we are so keen on interpret debut albums by Swedish synthpop bands but I guess only time will tell what our next project will be – all I know is that we’re looking forward to it!”
- Safety In Mind
- Strange Behaviour
- A Decade Of Thoughts
- State Of The Nation
- Process
- Approaching Forces
- Degraded Faces
- Black Town
- Things I’m Saying
- A Little Sacrifice
- State Of The Nation (Extended)
- Process (Extended)
