Soundpool by Dif Juz (Review)

This is a reissue of two records, Huremics and Vibrating Air, by one of the 4AD record label’s most criminally unheard of bands. I first heard them on the all 4AD-soundtrack to the movie Joyride. The track was “No Motion,” and it was like hearing everything that could be possibly cool about electric jazz. The emphasis was on atmospherics (from 4AD? imagine that) rather than the fusion histrionics that sometimes plague improvisational music played by virtuosos. This, however, is not to say that the guys in Dif Juz were any slouches at their instruments.

Their sound had much derived from dub, as there’s warm echo on most everything on the record. The bass is deep, guitars chime, and snares often make that great “splat” sound. Dif Juz’s take on instrumental music was different than the average ’90s no-vox band’s approach in that it was neither obviously intuitive nor overly plotted out. They hit a great middle ground between those two extremes, ending up sounding more like Can than Isotope 217 or Tortoise, or even the best moments of a progressive band like King Crimson or Ozric Tentacles rather than Magnog or Doldrums.

Add those sensibilities to a band in a time period where post-punk is still somewhat fresh, and there’s a real rawness/aggression somewhat akin to Bauhaus, Wire, or early PIL. There are all sorts of flourishes and detailed parts that indicate a refined sense of arrangement, and yet, their prowess never really got away from them (they were not likely to have appeared in any guitar magazines back then or now).

Production/recording-wise, its definitely a record of its time, which was the ’80s. Robin Guthrie’s (Cocteau Twins) hand in the mixing and processing is definitely apparent. Guitars are usually nice and chorused, drums have robo-reverb, etc. Continuing with that connection, if you like what you hear here, it’s worth your effort to try to hunt down their Extractions record, which features a vocal by Liz Fraser.

Written by Pearson Greer.