- Asphixiation’s “What Is This Thing Called ‘Disco’?” is a curious artefact of Australia’s cultural history. Recorded in five days, it is only a part of the full experience available in 1980 when Philip Brophy curated an installation of the same name. At that stage, Philip Brophy was at the helm of Tsk Tsk Tsk, an experimental band of revolving members interested in new sound art and experimental music.

The installation was Disco deconstructed. Brophy, and a selection of other artists, mimed to these recordings as part of the installation. Two of the tracks, L’Acrostique D’amour and The Crush were released as single and b-side, respectively, in an effort to see if The Flying Lizards, a UK band with a similarly kooky but successful single Money, had instigated an enduring appetite for outsider new-wave. They hadn’t, the single was released but quickly disappeared amongst the likes of Adam And The Ants, Roxy Music and Diana Ross; which retrospectively makes sense. Other manifestations of punk disco of the time, like James White And The Blacks, still remains underground, The Flying Lizards relegated to novelty. 

Listening to it after nearly forty years of cultural destruction, there is still a genuine sense of freedom, exploration and fun. Its use of synthesisers and live instrumentation deftly manage both conceptual focus and tongue-in-cheek creativity across the allusions to Parliament’s surreal funk in Asphyxiation, a simplified Blondie in Aural Risk and straight up techno in Tradition Europe. All these facets of dance music increasingly undermine not only disco but most of what was captivating the masses.

The album does stand up for itself, I’m confident in declaring it better than most other DIY outsider projects of 2017 but listening to this singular component of an installation made for 1980, does encourage the desire for time travel, to fully experience Philip Brophy’s curated environment for cultural punks.

- NJR.