DISCriminate (1981 ~ '97) [Import]

Death in June (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 12, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: New European Recordings
• ASIN: B00004XQVS
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #584,131 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Considered by many as the best 'beginner's guide to Death In June', this two CD collection of 33 songs from 1981-1997 has been reissued with a fresh look and expanded 12 page full color booklet containing rare photos from the period. Several versions of the songs are exclusive to this compilation and most of the tracks are from now deleted or hard to find albums and singles. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars easy but difficult, August 11, 2011

By 

A Dinosaur-Shaped Car "Homosexual Porn" - See all my reviews

This review is from: DISCriminate (Audio CD)

The cultural baggage attached to this band is immense. Douglas is a gay man whose experience with the punk scene made him realize that leftism and anarchism have just as many uncompassionate psychos as the right does, and unfortunately his reaction was a complete 180 into fascist sympathizing (or at least fetishizing), which is something that pervades the majority of his work. Further, his lyrics often reach a level of self-parody in their intentional obscurity and disposition toward cliche autumnal imagery, and the music relies too heavily on simplistic strumming. Somehow, though, the result is larger than the sum of its parts. Death in June has obviously been a labor of love since the early 80s, and despite its flaws there has been a lot of ethereal, transportive music put out under its banner.

With no particular narrative, this collects a little of everything from DiJ's conception as a spindly, shambolic, plodding post-punk unit a la Joy Division to something much more martial and bare. I find that Douglas' selection of material here matches his hit & miss musical philosophy. On one hand, some of the band's best material is here, on the other hand, there are a lot of two chord strums with flatly murmured, Nietzschean lyrics littered with a few atmospheric touches; it makes a world of difference in terms of texture and composition when the songs are arranged around the lightly baroque counterpoint of trumpet, melodica, bells, etc.

But simplicity is occasionally a boon here. Douglas writes very well around tawdry 80s dance beats, and "Come Before Christ and Murder Love" shows what pop music could be in a perfect world, with its mix of celestial synth and horns completing the cadences. Meanwhile "Heilige Leben" dips into purely atmospheric territory, and in 2011 proves you don't need an idiotic genre name like "chillwave" to make gauzy, dreamlike music.

At any rate, Death in June are still one of the last real deals in industrial/neofolk, and now that this compilation has been re-released at a sane price, now might be a good time to start exploring.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ..enchanting.., June 25, 2003

By 

"reducing_element" (Ballwin, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: DISCriminate (1981 ~ '97) (Audio CD)

I can't really say i'm a fan of goth music, nor am i a fan of folk music. But when an artist finds a way to meld the two together, i seem to be drawn to the music in ways i cannot begin to describe. This cd should appeals to anyone who is a fan of melody and obscure yet compelling lyrics. Sure, some of the lyrics have some suspect tangents (Rose Clouds of Holocaust, Giddy Giddy Carousel and a multitude of others), but it's easy to glance over this and appreciate the music for what it is, well crafted neo-folk(or whatever the kids call it these days).

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Death In June compilation, January 23, 2001

By 

Tuomas (Finland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: DISCriminate (1981 ~ '97) (Audio CD)

This is a compilation of a personal choice, tracks picked up by DIJ mastermind Douglas P from the years 83-98. Lots of remixes and other unreleased material is featured on this compilation. Still there are no new songs, just new versions of old songs. Great compilation introducing many sounds DIJ has had over the years. Even thought this is not a "best of", all the songs you'd expect are there. This is the one DIJ album to start with.