We have been tracing the success of Norwegian collective Det Gode Selskab for some years and their rise and rise has been very satisfying to witness. Having already passed the impressive milestone of a decade of parties the hardworking team will continue to throw the best parties in Norway as well as reaching out into the world for some outrageous parties during 2025 that include hosting a stage at Sunny Side Festival in Malta and an extended winter getaway alongside Distrikt Paris and PLGRN Milan with core elements from all three crews representing.
Recently having linked up with the DGS team just a few months ago for a weekend-long adventure it is clear that they hold electronic music in all its variants close to their hearts, but they do have a soft spot for vintage minimal. One of the many things that DGS get so right in their releases is that as well as drafting in rising and established playmakers they always ensure that their own artists are given the time to shine. Let’s dig in and see how they handle themselves.
Where better to begin our review of this always-on-point series than A1 and with DGS collective driving force Tod Louie’s “Trixie”. For a bit of historical context for the track title, this is a lovingly given nickname for Tod by his crew member Karl Fraunhofer. The name is derived from Paul Prenter of Queen fame and as the story goes told by Tod, “Paul Prenter, was made the villain within Queen, that led Freddie Mercury on a bad path. The devil on the shoulder in many ways. Which also the track exemplifies by completely changing from hard-hitting modulars into a melodic synth drive and back to hard-hitting modular stabs.” The playful modulars hark back to a golden era in minimal music and describe Tod’s nature almost to a tee.
Sharing side A is long-time label cohort Mike Shannon and as a true master of the dastardly and the divine, “Data Missive” treads this fine line while melding the two worlds. Crunchy modular signals are harnessed to provide the synth lines that bend and shape in and out of view. These are coupled with the ever-evolving percussive elements, but it is not until the track breaks that the true beauty is revealed by way of the waning synth pads. Ohm Hourani is next to step and “Since Day One” is the perfect track to follow Mike’s creation as it offers the hopeful energy displayed in part on the previous track. These upbeat synths are pushed and pulled by the whirring percussion and the very trippy vocal processing.
Rounding out the second instalment of DGS’s excellent ten-year VA in the fine style is studio wizard Karl Fraunhofer and “Protect The Party”. Also an ode to the low-slung minimal championed by the pioneers they hold dear. The subtle grooves come via tom rolls and more modular magic, but it is the pitched-down vocals telling a well-known late-night tale that sets this track off. The processing on this vocal musing is second to none and would not be out of place in a Minus track during its heyday as is the rest of the track. Make sure and keep your eyes peeled for this release and what is coming next as Det Gode Selskab look to take things to the next level in a big way.
Det Gode Selskab 10th Anniversary part 2 is out soon via Deejay.de, make sure and don’t sleep on this.
More info on Tod Louie
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More info on Det Gode Selskab
Instagram | Facebook | SoundCloud | Bandcamp | Discogs
