This was an excellent selection to be the first song on the first Xiu Xiu record — it’s a total manifesto for Jamie Stewart’s distinctive aesthetic. The gamelan-like percussion which opens the song is immediately strange and intriguing, but then Stewart collapses in, throwing the song off balance with histrionic vocals and feedback blasts.
“Don Diasco” teeters on the edge of songhood: after that initial burst, it’s structured in an odd decrescendo — it seems like Stewart’s trying to get the song back on track, moving into the more controlled chorus and then the whisper-quiet “Miya…” section. But then all the sudden he’s fighting against the shrieking noise again. It’s a brave, bold statement and a great start for a great band.
