The Swiss Conspiracy is the duo of Australia’ Moses Iten (Cumbia Cosmonauts) and German born Christoph H Muller (Gotan Project). It’s a journey into their heritage by way of their current obsessions, as Iten was born in the Swiss Alps, later emigrating to Tasmania and Muller was born in Germany but raised in Switzerland. It’s a project that pares electronics with more traditional or folkloric sounds, with Item’ obsession with cumbia and Muller’ penchant for electronic tango providing a remarkable fusion with some of the sounds. They’ve roped in accordionists, singers and ukulele players but the real magic lies in the production skills of these two artists, and their willingness to let each tune evolve in different directions and take different approaches. In this sense it feels like the duo are still exploring, feeling out their sound, yet these explorations sound like little else around. If you’re looking for touchstones the closest would probably be both artists day jobs, as these highly electronic tunes quiver rattle and roll along, groove based trans continental music that may be inspired by their Swiss folkloric roots, but manages to tap into varied influences from as far away as Latin America, Caribbean, and Africa.
The highlight is undoubtedly the title track which welds field recordings and clipped loops together, building tension before the highly metronomic, highly artificial beats kick in a couple of minutes down the track. Beneath the percussion, almost oblivious to the dance party happening above it, these joyous warm horns and clipped and manipulated yodels sound out in a reverb valley, and it’s beautiful uplifting and joyous.
On their bandcamp page they offer “The Swiss Conspiracy’ first EP Délire Nostalgique is dedicated to the mythological Ranz des Vaches (Cowherd’ Song), a melody so strong that Swiss mercenaries upon hearing it became terribly homesick and deserted. “
At four tracks, and three additional remixes, it’s an action packed ride. The Cumbia Cosmonauts remix of Cumbia Alpina, the one track that already features that infectious cumbia lilt is given a big beat percussion make over, transplanting Europe to South America. Perhaps most distinctive is the tropical bass remix from Melbourne DJ Lewis Cancut (Congo Tardis #1), it’s clipped and squelchy with periodic shimmery oscillations and a house groove, dragging the material as close to the dancefloor as it’s ever going to get. The EP is rounded out by Melbourne based Chilean producer Galambo delivers a highly looped based mix, using the ukulele as a base before allowing all kinds of wonky tropical electrics to overflow over it.
In terms of cross-cultural pollinations Délire Nostalgique has everything, particularly when the remixes kick in. Trying to keep track of it’s cultural identity is almost impossible, yet that’s half the point and musically these bizarre head scratching hybrids not only work but feel like something new.
You can find it here
