Dupont - Intermezzo

Dupont's debut album Ukraina from 2001 is one of my absolute favourite albums within the borders of old school EBM. It's been pretty quiet from the band the last few years and during this period the singer Johan Damm has left the band, the trio became a duo with the two gentlemen who goes by the names Riccardo and Danucci. Even though I've heard some rumors that Dupont have changed their music a little bit I had still expected the same style and heaviness. In the first track "Casino" there isn't that much change, but when the second track "Why must I die?" the difference is much more noticeable. First I became very disappointed of what I was hearing, but after a while I started to accept the change. I actually don't know when I really started to enjoy the album, but I do know why. It's not that strange actually, I heard something completely different than I had expected and couldn't accept the music for what it was in the beginning, as simple as that.

The album 'Intermezzo' turned out to be a really great album in the end. The band has found a contrast between the traditional heavier EBM but also able to flirt a little bit with electro and synthpop. The fourth track "Bells start ringing" reminds me of something Deine Lakaien could have produced and the fifth track "Master of the herd" have a little touch of Laibach's latest production 'WAT'. "Why must I die?", "Ghostdance", "Planless exhibition" and the truly phenomenal "Unknown Airspace" have all a little softer sound than what you are used to, but all of them are great productions. If you miss Johan Damm's voice (aka Juan / Growl-Johan) you don't have to be sorry since he do guest vocals on the heavy dance floor killer "Motel Lover". Actually, the only track that I find quite boring on this album is the track "Rio", which is pretty meaningless.

And if this wouldn't be enough the band have also included two bonus remixes from great acts like Joakim Montelius from Covenant which share his version of "Motel Lover" and Interlace contributes with a remix of "Why Don't You Dance With Me?".

Fantastic, but not in the way I thought it would be.

This review was written 2005 and initially published on Neurozine.com Jan 01 2005