One record at a time: 512. Digitalism - Idealism

Back in 2007, a few life events had me taking refuge in music, which remains one of my healthier coping mechanisms. Conveniently, it also felt like electronic music was having a proper revival at this time with Gui Boratto, Justice and Simian Mobile Disco stepping into the light and soundtracking my minor existential wobble. One of the albums I played to death during this time was "Idealism" by German duo Digitalism. I missed the original vinyl release, so this 2024 triple-disc neon green edition was never going to be a "nice to have". It was essential.

The album lands right in the sweet spot between high-energy electro house and the indie-rock habits of the mid-2000s, back when bands like Klaxons and Kasabian decided they quite fancied dance music, nicked a few moves, and tried to pass it off as rock ’n’ roll. Digitalism flip that idea on its head. This is the dance lot borrowing a bit of guitar, feeding it into the laptop, and somehow making it sound like the correct life choice.

If you ask the internet, "Pogo" is the headline track, but it has never been my favourite because it edges a little too far into indie territory for my taste. If you want Digitalism with the synths turned up and the guitars politely shown the door, "Jupiter Room" is the one. It is easily among their best productions, a huge, bruising anthem that still hits with the same reckless confidence today as it did when it was released almost twenty years ago (gulp, is it really that long ago?).

I also like the opening track "Magnets" and the bleepy chic of "Zdarlight" is hard to resist, but it is another track that kicks the door in. "Idealistic" is all squalling synths, clipped beats and gloriously overcooked electric piano. If you have neighbours, this is the track that tests how well you actually get on with them. At the end of the flip side "Echoes" is a firm favourite of mine as it balances melody and mood in a way I would normally associate with the calm competence of Röyksopp. This is the sort of track that compels you dance with a smile on your face. 

On the second disc, “The Pulse” is another cracking electronic cut, all shimmer and forward motion, and it keeps the album moving along nicely. Aside from "Pogo" the only other track I don't like much is the disposable indie-rock clutter “Anything New”, which feels like it has wandered in from a different record and is now pretending it was invited. This edition also throws in five previously unreleased bonus tracks from the original sessions, which is basically the musical equivalent of finding you’ve still got half a portion of chips hidden under your fish. Pass the ketchup.

So, does Idealism still hold up? Absolutely. It is loud, bright, slightly chaotic, and impossible to sit still through, even if your knees now make the kind of noises that were not a problem in 2007. The neon green triple-vinyl reissue feels fitting for an album this vivid, and the extra session tracks are a welcome bonus rather than padding. If you have any affection for the mid-two thousands electro revival, this is a no-brainer. Just clear a bit of space on the shelf, and maybe warn the neighbours. 4/5

One record at a time: 82. Digitalism - .JPEG

It took me a while to work out what this release was and I'm still confused about what it is called. The sleeve says the album is called ".JPEG" but Discogs lists it as "JPEG_Complete" and most people seem to refer to it as "JPEG". Wikipedia is no help as it doesn't even have an entry for the album.

As I understand it, this is a double vinyl release of the 2019 "JPEG" album which includes three extra tracks from the "Chapter Y" EP of 2021. Personally I am just pleased that some bands continue to release physical product and am content to refer to it as "JPEG".

The title track is tinged with eighties house sensibilities and has a great groove. Whilst the lyrics are a little one dimensional, "JPEG" proves to be a perfect introduction and one of the highlights. "Panavision" builds into a dance track that has a syncopated beat that reminds me a little of drum and bass. There is a guest vocal from Louisahhh!!! on "DISC_404" but it sounds like it belongs on a long lost album by The Prodigy circa 1997.  

"Chrome.exe" is another noisy instrumental club track that I'm having trouble digesting at 9am. The tracklist of the digital album and the vinyl become divergent here with the pounding beats of "Wish I Was There" being followed by the lacklustre and frankly annoying "Olympia". There are more eighties house vibes with "Knight Life" which develops into a nice track but is a tad too long. "Infinity" is immediately identifiable as a Digitalism track with it distorted lead and octave bassline. We hear a guitar for the first time on "No Data" which is as close to an 'indie-dance' track as you are going to get on this album. 

At this point it occurs to me that Digitalsim seem to have moved out of their usual formula or creating either club tracks or indie-dance pop; there's something more here. However, just as I began to hope they had left the French house pastiche behind them we hear "Voltage" which is more Daft Punk than Daft Punk. "Data Gardens" provides some respite from the pounding beats but by this stage everything is beginning to sounds the same. This isn't a bad album, but it isn't their best. 3/5

One record at a time: 81. Digitalism - Mirage

I bought this record when it was released in 2016. I think I must have listened to it, decided it was another nice Daft Punk pastiche and promptly forgotten about it. 

Fast forward around three years and I was on a long and stressful train journey listening to my phone whilst it played on shuffle. As I sped through the countryside, a mysterious piece of music began to play in my earphones. The blurred images and flashes of light coming in through the window seemed perfectly attuned to the music and I became transfixed. Only when the song had finished could I wake my phone and see what had been playing. As it turned out the track was "Mirage, Pt 1" from this album and it led me to reappraise this record. Whilst I no longer neglect this album, it has been a while since I listened to it so I'm looking forward to giving it a spin again.

Digitalism songs tend to fall into two camps: disco stompers or indie-dance tracks. The first two tracks on this album illustrate this dichotomy perfectly. "Arena" is a slice of satisfying dance music that is redolent of Daft Punk and "Battlecry" is a catchy indie-pop song with a distinctive chorus. I can just imagine the third track "Go Time" being played in a tent at Glastonbury with bucket hat wearing young men singing along in appreciation - not somewhere I long to be. "Utopia" continues the pattern of schizophrenic style swapping and is an arpeggio driven EDM creation. The hook on "Destination Breakdown" doesn't quite deliver for me and the whole thing is a little too noisy, but "Open Waters" is much more successful.

I regard the two part, twelve minute opus that is the title track as the zenith of this album. When "Mirage, Pt, 1" opens you could be forgiven for thinking some sort of fault had occurred as the synths burble and pulsate erratically. As more layers are added the sound becomes mesmerising until our reverie is broken by a pounding kick drum. The finale of the track sees us gently lowered into the melodic introduction of Part Two, which then evolves into a slightly more beat driven piece. "Indigo Skies" and "The Ism" are rare misfires that are best forgotten but "Dynamo" moves outside of the usual Digitalism formula with more success. As the album plays out there is a fine slice of  French House courtesy of "No Cash" which pounds away like its 1997 all over again. A slight less rewarding experience that some of the band's other albums but there are some fine moments. 4/5

One record at a time: 80. Digitalism - I Love You, Dude

Whilst I bought Digitalism's first album in 2007 on CD, I didn't have the foresight to buy it on LP. As a consequence, their second album, "I Love You, Dude", is the first I own on vinyl.

According to Discogs my copy of the album is from 2011, but I'm not sure that is accurate as I didn't buy it from Amazon until 2019. Interestingly, this is one of few records I own that came with a plastic credit card containing the download code rather than a piece of paper.

As I listen to this album, I seem to be forced to compare each song to someone else's work. There's a strong influence of Daft Punk running throughout and I hear elements of contemporaries, Simian Mobile Disco, Justice and AIR to name but a few. That's not to say these aren't original songs and nearly all of them are very good, it's just that some sound highly derivative.

Broadly speaking, Digitalism songs seem to fit in two different camps: house stompers and indie-tinged electronic pop. Whilst the latter style is where Digitalism are at their most original, this is where I find them least interesting.

"Stratosphere" is an impressive slice of electronic dance music with a strong French house feel. The second track "2 Hearts" drops the pounding dance beats and is more like a traditional pop song replete with vocal. "Circles" is another more conventional song with strong Tomcraft vibes and another nice vocal from Jens. My favourite track is house stomper "Blitz". This track is nothing short of genius with its stuttering riffs and a great trance arpeggio played on what sounds like an FM synth.

"Forrest Gump" has good verses but the chorus annoys me a little. We flip back to more dance orientated material with "Reeperbahn" and "Antibiotics" before diving off into AIR territory with "Just Gazin'". "Miami Showdown" is Daft Punk by numbers but "Encore" is a more considered piece of electronic music. "Blade" is pounding club track that is probably the hardest thing on here. This is a bit of a schizophrenic album but I enjoy it a lot. 4/5