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Dr. Didj
(pronounced )
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The U.K/-based
organic electronica trio Dr. Didg was primarily a vehicle for
Dr. Graham Wiggins, a Ph.D in physics who in 1982 became
fascinated with the didgeridoo, the ancient instrument of the
Aborigines of northern Australia. After picking up the
instrument, Wiggins mounted a series of studies on the physics
of its sound, earning the nickname "Dr. Didg" in the
process; his extensive writings on the didgeridoo were among
the first of their kind in the Western world, and helped him
earn a National Science Foundation fellowship to study at
Oxford. While in London, he began performing the didgeridoo on
the streets, and with fellow busker Martin Cradick formed the
duo Outback; their 1990 debut, Baka, was among the first
mainstream releases to spotlight the didgeridoo's unique
droning tones. After Outback split in 1993, Wiggins teamed
with drummer Ian Campbell and guitarist Mark Revell to form
Dr. Didg, an attempt to fuse traditional Aborigine sounds with
contemporary dance beats; their debut LP, Out of the Woods,
appeared in 1995, followed three years later by Serotonality.
Serotonin is the
brain's so-called "joy chemical"; it's an ideal
metaphor for the Dr. Didg aesthetic, which attempts to create
mind-altering electronica out of all-natural components, most
notably the didgeridoo of the Australian outback. Serotonality
is a fascinating work, assembled largely from loops and
samples initially recorded at the group's live performances;
granted, the trio's sound is something of a gimmick, and it
remains to be seen whether they can push their music to the
next level, but their adventurous spirit alone makes this
record worth a listen.
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