Drivan – Disko (Smalltown Supersound)
3/5
By: Jamie Russell
A crossover project by artist Kim Hiorthøy and company, Disko is a patchwork curiosity of underground electronica, Swedish folk and early prog - played out with an air of performativity that bends familiar territories out of shape and happily chatters to itself in the betweens. Stitched together in threadbare moments, at once organic and synthetic, the record is distantly intimate - as if it were shared underneath a duvet between complete strangers, up close and impersonal.
The Drivan sound begins with Hiorthøy's stark, compulsive loops, and stumbles on a disarray of repo'd beats, underwater piano and playful abstraction. At its best, the album is a striking mix of rough acoustics and synthetic cool - from 'Kampa''s stunning piano line to the purposeful stride and melody of 'Det Gor Ingenting'. Other times, Drivan are a little unwilling to comply, dishing out undeveloped ideas and unceremonious endings that could be charisma were there clear highs to counterpoint them. And so, while Disko makes for an arresting, pioneering sound, the record fails to establish a truly lasting sense of conviction.
Without a doubt, Disko falters in the language gap (the writing is entirely Swedish, so I'm flying blind here) and I find myself guessing at how much of its substance is lost in a non-lyrical listening. But then I can't help thinking there's almost something apt about it. Drivan seem to flirt with form and expression in a manner that focuses on the process of making itself, the incidental context of art and myths of pure intention. For this reason they're drawn to clutter - the laughter between tracks, the arhythmic clamour of pots and pans in the background, mix tapes and railtracks. It's as destructive as it is constructive, as sterile as it is abundant. Perhaps a translator could shed light on the quizzical feeling Disko left in its wake - or perhaps this lacuna is Drivan's subject matter of choice. One way or another, the album might benefit from sitting still for a moment or two so we could get a good look at it.
Drivan "Det gör ingenting" by smalltownsupersound
Artists in this article: Drivan
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