My Disco
Little Joy

Release Date: 2010 | Tracklist

My Disco are a truly unique punk band. The key to their sound in recent years has been a heavy debt to minimalism. On their most recent record 'Little Joy' they sound continues to progress. They band seems to have followed another Australia based group Liars in creating highly textural yet accessible post-punk. My Disco is rhythmic based with droning guitars and bass often filling in as elements of percussion. The band doesn't concern themselves with establishing melodies on most of the album, rather they create washes of sound. They still retain the post-punk edge that makes their songs delve into almost hypnotic territory, "Young" being an example. Few bands flirt with minimalism in a rock context because it is a difficult task to pull off. Slowcore groups like Codeine tend to grasp it occasionally, but their music is too sluggish to be truly aggressive. My Disco attempts to bring a basic punk sound to a genre that is highly conceptual. The two differences between these aspects makes the music very intricate and ultimately rewarding.

'Little Joy' has the band attempting to add more sophistication to their music. While songs that echo to the disconnection found on 'Paradise' are scattered throughout the album, the real highlights here come when the group plays more concise music. Their previous record was good, but ultimately was very cold and dark. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, rather it was an attractive quality for the album. The issue came in getting through the record in an entire sitting based on the abrasiveness of the record. 'Little Joy' is a far more easing album. The guitars are more involved and not based simply on one note drones. 'Sunray' is a perfect example. My Disco's sound has become so calculated it has to be enjoyable. Each song is structured with excellent form with every instrument given equal time to breathe. The music almost seems jazz-influenced with a few tracks revolving around all three instruments taking what can only be described as "solos" in-between the circular rhythms. My Disco is often targeted for basing their sound solely on a trite niche. That is certainly a viable opinion, but to overlook their ability to combine two sounds into such a unique sound should be commended at the very least. My Disco certainly isn't for everyone, but for those that do enjoy them there is very little else that can satisfy this particular niche. Music that is this desolate and isolated is rarely as rewarding as 'Little Joy' which is what makes it one of the most successful records of the year.

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3.7 great

Rank: #0 for 2010