Description
January 26, 2004, dDamage releases their third album: Radio Ape. It's the striking arrival of a monkey that imposes itself by its strength and power. Behind the name dDamage are two Frenchmen: Frederic and Jean-Baptiste Hanak, two brothers who will have the particularity of forming one of the most atypical and singular groups of the French musical landscape at the beginning of this century.
At first sight, it seems quite delicate to classify the duo's creation in a particular genre, as their influences are so multifaceted. If Frederic hails from Hip-Hop background, Jean-Baptiste is more influenced by Rock: two different sensitivities that come together to create a work full of originality. Thus, we come across twisted hip-hop samples, tortuous electro layers, modified voices and hi-gain guitars. An album that could be an explosive mix between Autechre and Sonic Youth. It was therefore not surprising to see this record released in 2004 on « Planet-Mu », home of Mike Paradinas (u-ziq), a glorious English school of "Intelligence Dance Music" and "breakbeat" who produced the likes of Venetian Snares, Luke Vibert or Richard D. James.
Fiercely noisy, but nevertheless well rooted in the hip-hop movement, dDamage's music begins by puzzling, then ends by carrying the listener away. Thick and compact, the apparent brutality of Radio Ape often gives way to melodies that are just as absorbing and noticeable.
Radio Ape is glitchy by essence, an album that glorifies chaos and confusion. We are constantly torn between destruction and creation. Far from seeking perfection, dDamage strives in its experimentation to enhance the asperities of sound signals to create a timeless, haunting and unclassifiable work.
Eighteen years after its release, Ici d'Ailleurs is very happy to offer you for the first time a reissue of this memorable record, which will finally be released in vinyl and CD format. This reissue includes not only the thirteen original RadioApe tracks but also four tracks from the "Pressure" EP released in 2004 and three unreleased bonus tracks from the recording session of the album.