Reimagining indie rock in a sandwich
Originally founded by two teenagers in Madison, Wisconsin, synth-pop band Disq fought to exist with the force of their willpower. Their first release was a self-recorded EP in 2016, titled Disq I, which was recorded in frontman Isaac deBroux-Slone’s basement, along with bassist Raina Bock.
Having since added three band members and being signed by record label Saddle Creek, they have released three singles, and two full-length albums: Collector in 2020, and their latest work this year, thoughtfully titled Desperately Imagining Someplace Quiet. Currently, with more than 22 dates for their ongoing tour, Disq is on fire, with no signs of stopping.
“Civilization Four” starts off experimental. Guitars and sound effects fill the soundscape for a few bars until the drums kick in. Written by Raina Bock and Shannon Connor, the song’s essence asks a fierce question, “are you ready for what life is about to throw at you? Or will you step back and not live your own life?” “There’s not a battle that’s easily won by anyone,” belts Isaac deBroux-Slone, summing up in one line the message of the song.
Again experimental in its beginning “Prize Contest Life” begs to break standards by aggressively panning two snares left and right, and throwing off the audience. After a chaotic clash and some drum kicks, the song abruptly changes to acoustic guitars and light vocals. It changes like a stormy night to a sunny day in an instant, but Disq keeps it light and cheery for the rest of the track, if it weren’t for the abrupt change back into chaos at the end. “Prize Contest Life” is a sandwich of chaos, dream pop, and chaos again.
Instead of having frontman deBroux-Slone sing, “Cujo Kiddies” is led by Bock’s light and airy vocals. It seems to reference the ’83 horror film Cujo, which is about a dog infected with rabies going on a killing spree. Bock seems to incorporate the sandwich structure into her song, adding a midsection that’s like a space-like panorama, led by synths and EDM elements, before returning to brighter sounds, but still “finding comfort in the metal machine,” as she puts it.
“This Time” has a more stereotypical indie sound. It is easily one of the most digestible and enjoyable tracks in the album, consisting of a normal balance of drums, electric guitars, bass, and occasionally seasoned with overdrive vocals. “This Time” talks about a one-sided love, taking someone’s kindness in a fling for love, and making that person their entire life without caring for themselves first. The story is can be summed up in a few verses: “I assumed you to be mine, don’t know why you were kind. I can’t [escape] because I don’t know myself, if all I know is you.”
“The Curtain” is a sweet track, featuring acoustic guitars playing light riffs and chords. It creates contrast to the rest of the album, bringing a true sense of lightness to the rest of the album’s initial darkness. It sounds like the giddiness of being in love, “We could drop the pretense,” the singer asks of his crush. “I want to meet your idea, want to tell you how I feel,” is one of the lines that stands out the most, as he hides his feeling for the fear of being rejected.
The mixing of the drums in “The Hardest Part” makes the song sounds like garage rock, raw and honest, aided by the short delay on the vocals. It ends with a garage punk sound instead, vocals drenched in overdrive achieving a very early 2000s indie sound. Contrasting “The Hardest Part,” “If Only,” boldly merges country with rock elements, with the highlight of the song being the guitar solo in the bridge.
“Charley Chimp” references in both its title and lyrics a literal Charley Chimp toy hitting two cymbals as its turned. The song is, in its essence, an ode to how good a certain girl looked in her Catwoman outfit.
Written by Logan Severson, “Tightrope” is a more rock track, including tasteful screaming and powerful drums. Similarly, “(With Respect to) Loyal Serfs” keeps up the rock energy, and implements the sandwich method with screeching guitars in its midsection, before returning to its previous sound. It is a love letter to hard workers, and their hopes to get reimbursed for their efforts.
“Meant To Be” brings the energy down again, initially composed of acoustic chords, and glimmers of relaxed electric guitar riffs, the song brings in the rest of the band in the midsection, but stays with it for the rest of the song.
The closing track, “Hitting a Nail With a BB Gun,” opens with a harpsichord-sounding keyboard. As the track goes on, Raina monotonically sings “I add synths and strings just to make the song sound good”, as she does just that, as she declares that she “doesn’t want to be alive,” but instead wants to be AI. It is a strange track, and has sections reminiscent of space, which seems to be part of her production and composing style.
Desperately Imagining Someplace Quiet is bold and metallic in its narrative, its sound is chaos infused with strange narratives and odd love songs. It questions the standard and common production style of music, and proposes a new structure; the sandwich method. It creates a change in the midst of a song, and returns to the normal song structure for the third part. Disq are innovators, authentic and honest in their craft.
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