Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Denis & Denis
Label: Dallas Records
Release: 2015
Duration: 40:46
Rating: 4/5
Today Denis & Denis are considered one of the most unique music stories to come out of the former Yugoslavia in the eighties. A spin-off of the Rijeka new wave scene, they turned heads fast with their debut »Čuvaj se!« (1984), which vividly and uniquely combined the cutting-edge synth sounds of the day, infectious musicality and catchy dance rhythms with a provocative stir of erotic imagination. That last part was mostly down to the sex appeal and voice of the band’s frontwoman, singer Marina Perazič. Let’s be honest. Back then, no band anywhere in the former Yugoslavia brought the sounds of synth/electro pop and new wave to local ears as effectively. Perhaps the only sensible parallel to Denis & Denis in their Marina Perazič years is Slovenia’s own Videosex.
»Demo Tapes« takes us right back to the beginning of the Denis & Denis story. It’s a collection of songs recorded in 1982 and 1983 onto audio cassette using a simple mixing desk in mono. The only exception is Gluhi telefoni, which was recorded on an 8-channel desk. The time had come for Davor Tolja to dust off the old archives. The material has been transferred from the cassettes, and it has kept its remarkable quality and, of course, the most important ingredient of all. Authenticity. »Demo Tapes« is a great listen from the first second to the last. The synths sound raw and one-dimensional, the backbone is an instant drum machine, and the main contrast comes, naturally, from Marina Perazić’s phenomenally seductive vocals. Compared to the later studio versions of the same songs, her voice got the least sonic processing and polish here, unlike the keyboard tones, which are far denser, and the low end, which gets some contrast too. You have to take that in stride. We’re talking about real demo recordings that radiate the sheer heartfelt commitment of big creative talents and Davor Tolja’s musical vision. And that’s what counts most!
These recordings reveal even more directly the musical background Denis & Denis were coming from. The style was shaped by the British wave of synth pop / new wave bands that grew out of the alternative rock underground, like early Depeche Mode, The Human League and Yazoo, while the music keeps a gloominess you can link to the works and influences of the German new wave (Neue Deutsche Welle). »Demo Tapes« embodies almost the entire album »Čuvaj se!«; only Ti i ja and the notorious Program tvog kompjutera are missing, while Gluhi telefoni went through some later studio ironing-out for the »Čuvaj se!« version and was shortened to Telefoni.
Then there are the songs Minijatura, Još jedna crta and Mala nočna zadovoljstva, recorded in 1982, which never got an official release on any of the band’s later albums. They’re the missing pieces in the mosaic of the Denis & Denis story, and they’ve finally found their official place in it. These tracks could easily have fit on »Čuvaj se!«, since as compositions they more than hold their own against the demo versions of the songs that later made it onto that album.
»Demo Tapes« is a real balm for all the fans of the band who were left out in the cold by the release of their fourth studio album »Restart« in 2013, and a must-have for all Yugo-nostalgics.
Line-up
Marina Perazić – vocals
Davor Tolja – vocals, keyboards, drum machine, programming
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Edi Kraljić – backing vocals on tracks 5 and 8
Zoran Prodanović `Prlja` – backing vocals on tracks 5 and 8
Production
Davor Tolja
Track list
1. Noč
2. Čuvaj se
3. 28 minuta do 5
4. Dio refrena
5. Doba nočnih kiša
6. Mala nočna zadovoljstva
7. Sačuvaj nešto
8. Tek je 7 sati
9. Gluhi telefoni
10. Još jedna crta
11. Minijatura
