The late ’80s and early ’90s marked a transitional period for music in Switzerland; a time where synthesizers and samplers became the done thing in DIY music. This paved the way for songs to mutate into sounds, for new experimentation to occur and genre boundaries to be blurred.
On their Intenta compilation, Bongo Joe and Décalé Records have chosen to spotlight the experimental, electronic sounds that were coming out of the country at the time: “the outer fringes of a scene yet to be”. Compiled by crate diggers Matthias Orsett and Maxi Fischer, the pair dive deep into forgotten gems, prolific tracks and newly mixed versions that navigate all corners of the musical spectrum, from oddball synth-pop to punk-funk and proto-house.
Originally released in 1984, today’s premiere comes courtesy of singer Jean-Pierre Huser. ‘Chinatown’ blends chanson, low slung funk and new wave sensibilities with Huser’s deep, sultry and hypnotic vocals. With Intenta, we’re given a glimpse into an incredibly important time for Swiss electronic music; a collection of tracks that signal “a nation on the move.”
Intenta will be out on 28th February – pre-order your copy.
