Since first forming back in 2002, Slovakian dark downtempo / IDM duo Disharmony have released three albums of their own material on a number of independent labels including Broken Seal, Monopol and their own Aliens Production imprint. In the wake of last year’ “Malignant Shields’ album, this debut release from Disharmony for the Chicago-based Tympanik label “Cloned’ collects together the duo’ entire remix backcatalogue to date for other artists, alongside two previously unreleased new Disharmony tracks. The duo’ reworking of German artist Polygon’ “Idealism’ that opens proceedings here certainly aptly sets the stage for the sorts of emotional territory explored by much of the 15 tracks here, emerging slowly in a filmic style from digitally-treated thunderstorm samples, before spidery, harsh IDM breakbeats begin to coil their fingers around a darkly symphonic backing of icy synth pads and the eerie chatter of sampled conversation. While it’s certainly indicative of the sorts of ominous, post-Plaid / AFX downbeat IDM territory explored throughout much of this compilation, the remix of Belgian producer Grandchaos’ “Mutant X’ manages to highlight a considerably more danceable and EBM-focused side to Disharmony’ oeuvre, its streamlined synth arpeggios, vocoded vocals and clattering breakbeat programming almost calling to mind a considerably more subtle Front Line Assembly.
While the tracklisting concentrates for the most part on the work of lesser known artists, the biggest draw here proves to be currently incarcerated for murder and church torching Black Metal figurehead Varg Vikernes (aka Lord Grishnack)’ Burzum track (taken from his later, ambient-focused prison period, folks), which recasts the original as a glittering slice of choral vocal-laced IDM that manages to lose none of the attendant menace, while Sydney-based electro-EBM duo Empty also make an appearance with a remix of their track “Alone’ that reduces proceedings back to shimmering, hiphop grooves and ringing textures, in what’s easily the most groove-infused track on offer here. While the level of quality is certainly consistently strong right throughout this collection, my personal favourite track here was easily the reworking of Sara Noxx’ “Earth’, with Disharmony’ fusion of snarled, distorted vocals and ominous pneumatic rhythms colliding with Noxx’ “lost in the machine’ disembodied spoken word performance to spectacular effect. An excellent remix collection that fans of the likes of Daniel “Haujobb’ Myer’ Architect alter-ego should definitely investigate.
