Norway-based techno-rock group Datarock released Media Consumption Pyramid on September 29th.
In 2011, the Norwegian island Utøya suffered a terrorist attack that left 69 people dead. Datarock had played a show in Utøya the night before. In light of this tragedy, the band set out to write an album that celebrates life.
Apt to the group’s name, this album has morphed into a love letter to technology while diving deep into the pros and cons that come with it. The album honors 70s rock and disco while adding their own techno beats to the songs. Drums and dial tones fill the album in a perfect mesh of analog and digital. It melds their past with the future in a perfect combination of 0s and 1s. The music videos accompanying the three lead singles are all A.I. generated, emphasizing the band’s fascination with technology.
While the band clearly values and appreciates the positive changes that technology has brought, they also have no problem critiquing the issues that come with it. This is illustrated with the third single off the album, “DISCObedience.” The song aligns the media intake to the story of Adam and Eve. It calls the listener to leave their screens and celebrate life outside of the virtual, all while backed by beeps and bass. “Tick Tock”, “Metaverse”, and “Digital Life” continue this message of breaking down the true connection between technology and life. The band makes it clear through their synthetic tracks and autotuned lyrics that while they appreciate the advancements that has been brought on by the digital revolution we are living through, everyone should still be wary of how we are relying on the new developments. Grab your headphones, dance in the streets, and listen to what they have to say.
Media Consumption Pyramid, and “DISCObedience” are available now on major streaming platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music.
Percy Sampson, New Orleans born and Virginia bred, is finishing up their time at University of Mary Washington, where they are double majoring in English and Theatre. A passionate writer, they spend most of their free time working on (mostly horror) scripts and short stories.
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