Hear a sample from My Disco's upcoming album

31 August 2010 by Soulshine News

As always with Melbourne trio My Disco, the best thing about their new album Little Joy is its weird kind of absence. Ever since their first shows back in 2003, itʼs like thereʼs been something lacking, a piece missing from the puzzle, but itʼs a lack so intriguing that it keeps you coming back, trying to work out whatʼs not there.

Listen while you read:

Please download Flash to view this audio player.

And each time, that lack changes subtly. The set up is still the same – Liam Andrews on bass and vocals, brother Ben Andrews on guitar, and friend Rohan Rebeiro on drums. But each new record sees My Disco refine their essence, removing what most people expect to hear and leaving them something new in its place. The bare bones of a drum beat, a rumbling bass, one repeated phrase and some bursts of feedback add up to a wholly compelling sound world.

For their second album Paradise in 2008, My Disco followed their minimalist instincts by recording at Electrical Audio with Steve Albini, the Chicago engineer famous for his stripped back work for everyone from Nirvana to Joanna Newsom.

They began in the same way with Little Joy, tracking with Albini, but then changed direction. They returned to Australia to mix the album with Sydney veteran Scott Horscroft, whose resume includes the likes of Silverchair and The Presets. Not the kind of names youʼd normally associate with My Disco, but the band worked with Horscroft on their Young 12” single earlier this year and enjoyed the results.
Horscroft brings out previously unheard textural elements, layering vocals, delaying guitars, adding reverb to drums, without compromising My Discoʼs focused vision. “These are things we have never achieved on record before,” says guitarist Ben Andrews, “Itʼs nice to have both elements, Steveʼs rawness meets Scottʼs subtle production.”

This produced rawness is the heart of Little Joyʼs success. Itʼs the sound of a band using the fewest tools to create the greatest range of possibilities. Itʼs a record both expansive and minimal, a compressed expression of vast emotions.

Little Joy will be in stores on Friday the 15th of October through Shock

Album Reviews

Kimbra - Vows

Ben Salter - The Cat

Seasick Steve - You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks

Timber Timbre - Creep On Creepin On

More Reviews