Digital Dance - Treatment

Rip it up, and start in Ghent

Think of punk, and you think of England; think of post-punk, and you imagine a Continental phenomenon, crackling with cold war paranoia and doomy Berlin chic. But do you think of Belgium? Europe’s dullest daughter recently had her post-punk collated by LTM on b9 bis, and alongside, they’ve released this account of one of the scene’s short-lived (1978-81) leading lights. Digital Dance played at the opening night of Brussels’ Plan K venue, supported Joy Division, Magazine and Siouxsie & The Banshees and shared a producer with Josef K; so far, so well connected. Their sound, though, faintly recalls a variety of post-punk touchstones without ever reaching the same heights or making a distinct niche for themselves. Hospital Dance recalls the jerky dourness of the aforementioned Josef K; All Those Words is funkier, Gang Of Four-ish in its tension and earnest lyrics, but without the Leeds ascetics’ knack for dynamics and drama. The only big false note is the aggressive, Wire-y Human Zoo with its clumsy GOF-ish horror of fleshly decadence. The 1980 title track is better, almost ESG-like in its spare punk-funkiness, and the quirky, humourful keys and distorted vocals of I Sleep On The Waves come closest to an original sound, but ultimately, they’re destined to remain a niche interest.

LTM | CD 2498

Reviewed by Emily Mackay
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