An EP that was conceived in the Swiss Alps and ended up on the dancefloor
Snowed-in at an abandoned guest house located in the Swiss Alps, there was nothing else to do for the two longtime friends James Varghese and Ramon Ziegler but make music and eat fondue. Equipped with synths, drum machines and other toys they immersed themselves in a mist of sound. They resurfaced a couple of days later with four songs and Diskret was born.
“It was never our intention to start a band,” admits one half of the duo, James Varghese. “We had been making music together for over 15 years, but always as fellow band members backing other pop and indie artists. Over the years we formed a deep bond on stage, and also became close friends. It’s as if we are connected. Even when we’re not together, sometimes the same things happen to us on the same day.”
As youngsters they used to pull all-nighters, going to shows and hitting up after-parties. Now they prefer to jam and experiment with their collections of synthesizers and explore the layered world of ambient electronica.
Their shared interest in sound synthesis made them take a couple of days off and drive to the mountains with all their instruments in tow. There was no particular objective. The idea was to get some fresh air, tinker with the toys and maybe go hiking. They were only looking for a remote place, but the unexpected and heavy snowfall turned it into an isolated one as well.
What happened after that, they can’t really recall anymore.
“It feels like it was all a dream or some sort of a trance state,” explains Ziegler. “Recording synthesizers, arranging chords, punctuated with eating raclette, stacking sounds, automating filters, another break for a fondue, creating beats and occasionally sleeping. When we got home, we realized that we cut material for a full EP. How it all happened is incomprehensible to us. It doesn’t feel like we made it. But it sounds like music we’d like to make and also like to listen to.”
The Self-titled debut album ranges from experimental ambient to functional electronica, from downtempo to club. It was carefully put together with a keen eye for detail. This also reflects in the artwork and the physical pressing. 180 grams, marbled vinyl with a hot foil stamped cover (available on the new Zurich-based record label, Quiet Love.
Last month, Alessandro Giannelli reinterpreted the ambient vibes of the album into something more danceloor-ready with his remix of “Limba.” And it works surprisingly well.
“The journey of [“Limba”] started in the swiss alps and it’s great to see it end on the dancefloor,” says Ziegler.
We agree. And we’d love to see how that electronic twist might be applied to all the tracks on the album.
Listen to the full Diskret EP on the Diskret Bandcamp page and stream the Alessandro Giannelli remix below.
Diskret – Limba (Alessandro Giannelli Remix)
