Destroying the Dance Floor

Sometime after midnight on New Year's Eve, some poor guy decided to take over DJ duties at my friend Kate's house party. He sidled over to the stereo where the iPod was hooked up, and after a few minutes of browsing, made his selection: Destroyer's "Painter in Your Pocket," from the 2006 album Destroyer's Rubies.

As songwriter Dan Bejar's acoustic guitar and voice filled the living room, the revellers (myself included) immediately stopped dancing and bombarded the self-appointed DJ with a chorus of boos. Realizing his error, he scrambled around for a few seconds before settling on "We Got the Beat" by the Go-Go's. The dancing soon resumed and his faux pas was forgotten.

Okay, so Destroyer isn't exactly a party band. That's not an insult; for the past 15 years, the prolific Bejar has earned a reputation as one of indie rock's most cryptic poets, winning over fans with his glam-infused folk rock and dense, offbeat lyricism. It's the stuff of cafés and art spaces, not dance parties.

That all changes with Kaputt, his ninth official LP. On the album's nine songs, Bejar makes an unexpected foray into disco-infused pop, placing the emphasis on slinky grooves and toe-tapping bass hooks. Rather than folksy strumming, the arrangements are carried by swirling synth pads and purring horns. Tracks like "Song for America" and "Kaputt" conjure up visions of a 1970s dance floor with their strutting beats and shimmering electronics. The standout "Savage Night at the Opera" is similarly bouncy, and its sublime instrumental passages evoke the gorgeous synthscapes of Twin Peaks.

Of course, this is Destroyer we're talking about, and these tracks aren't likely to become favourites at raves or Top 40 clubs. There are still plenty of inscrutable lyrics, not to mention several ambient passages -- the epic "Bay of Pigs (Detail)" begins with over seven minutes of pulsing synth tones before the rhythm section locks in, while "Suicide Demo for Kara Walker" begins with silky woodwinds and new age-y guitar plucking.

Still, these mellowed-out moments aside, there's no doubt that this is the most fun and lively album Destroyer has ever released. If, on New Year's Eve 2011, that self-appointed DJ decides to abduct the iPod once again, he'll be able to cue up Kaputt and no one will raise a single protest.