SHARE THIS ARTICLE

White Devil Disco: RED

“I recall my solar nature and would like to rush to my rising. But ruins stand in my way. They say: ‘With regard to men, you should be this or that.’ My chameleonesque skin shudders. They obtrude upon me and want to color me. But that should no longer be. Neither good nor evil shall be my masters. I push them aside, the laughable survivors, and go on my way again, which leads me to the East. The quarreling powers that for so long stood between me and myself lie behind me.” Carl Jung, Liber Novus

In the words of its founder, Joseph Pancucci, White Devil Disco is “…a bit of an illusion, an enigma existing on the cusp of your senses, ever changing, and evolving.” The group’s latest single, “RED,” released on Dash the Henge records, takes listeners on an electrifying, chaotic funhouse ride. Produced by Robin Harwood and Sam Fez, the track pulsates with a deep-seated anger, featuring snarled vocals laced over with a ribbon of contrast in the form of honey-sweet synth. The music video for “RED,” (a visualizer created by the renowned artist Ben Faircloth) is peopled with a crew of fabulously surreal beings, most of which look like Jungian archetypes or sketches from da Vinci’s notebook of recommended formulae for monsters, morphing in and out of scenarios that seem to be plucked from fever dreams and spiritual visitations. It’s an apt visualizer for a track with an unusual, traumatic origin story, underlining the lyrical themes of crisis and transformation. Totally Wired recently spoke with Joseph Pancucci to discuss the track’s initial formation, the recording process, and what’s next for White Devil Disco.

TWM: How would you define White Devil Disco?

Joseph Pancucci: I’ve been asked to before, I can’t. I don’t really see how anyone can define their own music; it feels very constrictive. Graham Duff described us as “purveyors of distinctive dark pop.” That works for me.

TWM: Who are White Devil Disco? Which other musicians are you currently collaborating with?

Joseph Pancucci: White Devil Disco is a bit of an illusion, an enigma existing on the cusp of your senses, ever changing, and evolving. A less pretentious answer is that I’ve collaborated recently with Nathan Saoudi (Brian Destiny/Fat Whites) and Simon Milner (Is Tropical/Ysing Ysing.) We’ve written a few songs that I’m happy with.

TWM: How does White Devil Disco differ from other musical projects you’ve worked on in the past?

Joseph Pancucci: It differs in the way that I actually have to keep it moving forward as opposed to just showing up pissed and playing bass. It’s still quite chaotic like other projects, though, which is what it is.

TWM: “RED” is your third single release as White Devil Disco. Are there plans for an EP or an album looming in the future?

Joseph Pancucci: Yes, we’re working towards an album to be released on Dash the Henge.

Footage of White Devil Disco Live at Peckham Audio, shot by the inimitable Lou Smith.

TWM: Where did the impetus for “RED” come from?

Joseph Pancucci: Well, I wrote the vocals after I threw myself off the monument at the highest point of Margate Pier into shallow water. It was after shooting the video for our last single “Trouble” in summer. I think I did it out of frustration, or maybe it was a cry for attention. I don’t know. It hurt like fuck, and my whole body came up in bruises. I was okay, but halfway down, I thought I was going to die. Hitting the water felt like my soul was being ripped from my body. It gave me trippy flash backs for about a month after, like my brain had released DMT or something. I tried to channel some of that mindset when writing/recording the lyrics.

TWM: Tell me a bit about the recording process of the single, please, and about the experience of working with Sam Fez at the Betty Fjord Clinic in Norway.

Joseph Pancucci: We recorded the music in Sam’s bedroom in London. We were working on another track last summer and got a bit bored of it. I started playing this John Carpenter-style horror movie keyboard line I’d come up with, just as a bit of a change of pace, and Sam jumped on it, adding all those sweet synth tones. Then, we layered it up with guitars and that. It came together pretty quickly, and then stayed dormant for months until I ended up at Betty Fjord, kinda by accident, where I was bullied into writing and recording vocals for it by a drunken Simon Tickner. I appreciate that.

You can find White Devil Disco on Bandcamp, YouTube and Spotify. ‘RED’ is out now on all platforms. https://whitedevildisco.bandcamp.com/music

Cover photo by Emma Giaca

Recommended for you:

Why We Love: Tee Vee Repairmann

Jack Downey July 12, 2023

Australia. The backbone of several memes regarding its apparently nightmarish wildlife and the home of the late legend Steve Irwin, it has bred quite a lot of great bands throughout the decades. AC/DC, INXS, Men at Work, and Midnight Oil come to mind. Most recently, a trio called The Chats have been dominating the international punk scene with their humorous, punchy songs. However, The Chats are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what’s going down in the land down under. In recent years, a fairly spectacular underground music scene has developed in Australia. Featuring bands such as Gee Tee, R.M.F.C., and Tee Vee Repairmann, the style has been called “Egg Punk” by some, and it typically features fast, distorted barre chords punctuated by loud guitar lines or mellow synths, impenetrable bass, and drums that are so compressed they almost sound mechanized. The vocals are often filtered

Crate Digging with Slack Alice

Andreea Ivanescu March 31, 2023

Ever wondered what your favourite musicians listen to when they need inspo? Slack Alice saw its dawn back in 2014 when resident DJs and old friends Kelan and Yokel decided to put on regular nights at The Surrey Vaults. It wasn’t long before the collective reached its final (and most powerful) form. Bristol legends Nadoone and Anina joined Slack Alice, and their vision helped unlock new levels of creativity and expression. Music lovers and fellow DJs started attending Slack Alice events regularly, and most of them remained time-tested supporters and collaborators. It could have been the need to escape trite Bristol line-ups or the identity of a newfound community that allured people, or the far-out curation of the Slack Alice events, whose guests included frontman of the iconic Cabaret Voltaire Stephen Mallinder, Test Dept. and Giant Swan. I think the crux has always been the synergy between the four, their

Why We Love: Alex Chilton

Jack Downey December 21, 2022

Alex Chilton has become something of a hero to multiple generations of alternative rockers, power pop enthusiasts, and music lovers in general. First rising to fame in the late ’60s with the band The Box Tops, Chilton was just a teenager when the band’s debut single, “The Letter,” became a number one hit. For three more years, the group continued to release hits, though after multiple lineup changes, the group split. Having been the frontman of a successful band for multiple years, Chilton could have done whatever he wanted. He contemplated going to college, he worked on multiple solo songs, and he was even considered for the position of singer in Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Instead, he decided to do none of these things and went on to form a band called Big Star. There could easily be an entirely separate article about how great Big Star is, and maybe

Cowboyy: Britain’s Latest Bandits

James George Potter November 18, 2022

If you’re a Londoner like myself who seemingly can’t stay away from the holy trinity of music venues, The Windmill, The Sebright Arms and The New Cross Inn, you’d have certainly already heard about Cowboyy. The latest 4-piece lineup to come storming out of the UK’s woodwork has already rightly attracted the attention of music heads and BBC 6 DJs alike with their exceptional first single ‘Gmaps’. At first glance, the band’s lineup is a patchwork of secondary school stereotypes, each styled like the four kids in your class you’d never thought would interact, let alone form a band. But behind the athlete on drums and maths wiz on vocals exists a brotherly bond which has been essential in forming the band’s unique charm. We got to know a little more about Cowboyy when we spoke to them recently. Hi guys, thanks for taking the time to speak with us.

Jessica Winter: “I Want to Find Something Real”

Ingrid Jensen November 15, 2022

With a soaring magic carpet ride of a voice and a talent for writing pop hooks that rivals anybody on the charts today, Jessica Winter’s sound can’t be tucked neatly into any identifying genre but exists in a liminal space between electro-pop and indie goth, laced with jagged, searing punk rock rawness.

Humour: So Young’s Latest Hardcore Signing

James George Potter September 26, 2022

Glaswegian 5-piece band Humour is the latest and most rip-roaring addition to the instantly addictive lineup of bands on So Young records’ roster. The boys, many of whom met at primary school or whilst studying in Glasgow, have poured their collective talents into their new EP, “PURE MISERY,” set for release on November 25th. The recent singles “yeah, mud!” and “alive and well” have teased a hard-hitting and unmissable six-track record later on this year. Totally Wired Magazine spoke to two of the band’s founding members, guitarist Jack Lyall and frontman (plus visual artist) Andreas Christodoulidis. Hi guys, what have you been up to? Andreas: Just getting the artwork for the singles finalised and quite a few interviews too. Jack: Oh yeah, a few of those. Andreas: We’re getting a little bit better at it but still not great, as you’ll find out. Well, you boys are one of the

Murder Capital Announce New Album and European Tour

TotallyWired September 23, 2022

Irish post-punk band The Murder Capital have announced their forthcoming second album Gigi’s Recovery, with a UK & EU tour to follow.

The announcement comes the morning after the release of their latest video for A Thousand Lives, the second track from the forthcoming album, paired with a striking video by Tommy Davies (Common People Films), a collaboration which has stirred our excitement for what’s still to come.

Why We Love: The Cleaners from Venus (aka Martin Newell)

Jack Downey August 23, 2022

In 1980, Newell formed The Cleaners from Venus with Lawrence “Lol” Elliot, though since then, he has remained the only consistent member. Under this moniker, Newell has released a multitude of albums, and this isn’t even taking into consideration his wealth of material under his own name. Starting with Blow Away Your Troubles, Newell showed the world what to expect from The Cleaners from Venus: wonderful, jangly music that was staunchly lo-fi.

Deadletter Unleashes ‘Binge’

Jessie Smith August 18, 2022

After building a reputation as paragons of the live performance, Deadletter soars even higher with ‘Binge,’ a biting incantation on intoxication. In a world of nicotine patches, ‘don’t talk to me before my morning coffee,’ and Klarna payment plans for your new shoes – frontman Zac Lawrence preaches at a world which demands everything immediately all the time. Instant porn, instant music, instant dating, and instant celebrity content have made us all shallow and impatient, and it’s hard to tell if ‘Binge’ is a call to arms against our current evolution or a sardonic ‘so what?’ ‘Binge’ brings us a collage of post-punk, funk, and new wave. Written in 25 minutes back in January, Lawrence credits a formula of “drumline, bassline, lyrics, seasoning” to Deadletter’s creative process. It’s an organic recipe, all bare bones and knuckles and knees, building the skeleton of what a song needs before adding sinew and

An Analysis of The Beach Boys: 1967-74

Jack Downey July 19, 2022

From 1967 to 1974, The Beach Boys proved themselves to be remarkable composers, lyricists, and musicians, even with the dwindling participation of Brian, though he still contributed songs and ideas from time to time. Starting with Wild Honey and ending with Holland, there were ideas and gems abound on each tracklist.

White Devil Disco: RED

Recommended for you:

GET THE MAG