DscrdPanopticon EP

The boys from Paris are back in town. “Panopticon EP” is the last -to date- EP that Dscrd, a.k.a. Discordance, has given birth to. March is the month chosen for this superb work to see the light. It will be released in vinyl and digital format by French label DEMENT3D, their first “home”. However, this return does not necessarily mean a back-to-roots approach. Instead, it appears to be a step forward in their creative process and a profound dive into their enigmatic and dark amalgamation of effects and atmospheres.

Self-proclaimed “sound hackers”, these five musicians -or even researchers- have been commonly acclaimed by music colleagues and specialist magazines since they released their first work, “Discordance EP” in 2011, which represents a highly recommendable and absolutely remarkable first try. This time, their own particular style, slow-pace complex rhythms and violent essence altogether give shape to a disturbing and beautiful creation. The four pieces in “Panopticon EP” include a wide and surprising array of misty landscapes and industrial hints. “Watch and Punish”, the first track in the EP, has a linear but heterogeneous structure which naturally grows up from a hyper-distorted metal-like guitar, and gets fatter and deeper by incorporating abrasive nuances and elliptical percussions. “Second Zone” offers an appealing range of elements, from cyclic beats to a storm of watery and metallurgical effects, which should undoubtedly transport listeners to some dull, dystopian and futuristic environment. The third one is entitled “L’Etale”, which may be the most minimalistic composition in “Panopticon EP”. It is based on an intense and heavy bass drum line, and invites us to get lost, among other things, in its excellent evolution and to pay careful attention to how its background noise perfectly develops as minutes go by. Finally, “Austeria” closes the EP with a true and “open” experimental combination of obscure textures and constant rhythms, providing potential listeners with a hypnotic and anguishing mantra.

As Dscrd themselves state, “Music is no longer a mere entertainment commodity”, and “Panopticon EP” is actual evidence of such a statement, which of course gives a real artistic and scientific perspective to the track construction process. Their offering provides a much broader experience, which uses old but still cutting edge repetition principles, and is founded on an intelligent sound design and an outstanding production effort. Their personal soundscape building or one-of-a-kind style, which are undeniably influenced by concrete music research, obviously widen sound boundaries and deliver an extremely interesting myriad of expressive images and shapes. Although released in a short format, this EP contains what every experimental music lover should expect in an album: creativity, intensity, quality and innovation.