Disco Volante

Disco Volante is a 1995 album by the band Mr. Bungle. It is by far the most experimental of all their productions as it picks up inspirations from a wide variety of musical styles, including death metal, techno, 50s space age pop, Musique concrète and Italian avantgarde.

Disco Volante usually demands a few listens for the subtleties and detail to really kick in, while the first listen will likely leave you confused, bewildered, and possibly entertained.

The album's production is unconventional in every aspect. Musical references, recording quality, vocabulary; virtually every sound on this album has an unknown element to it.

Mike Patton also uses a great number of vocal effects boxes and samples throughout the album, most noticeably in songs like "Ma Meeshka Mow Skwoz" and "The Bends".

The album also contains a hidden track (hidden in a double-groove on the US vinyl release; after 'Carry Stress In The Jaw' on the UK vinyl release) after "Carry Stress In The Jaw." This track was originally recorded without bassist Trevor Dunn's input or knowledge; although, shortly before its release, Dunn managed to find it and added a vocal track. Though never explicitly stated, it is believed (by Dunn) that the drums were played by McKinnon, and the bass by Patton.

The songwriting credits in the album's booklet include the section "Nothing - Words: Lengyel; Music: Heifetz". This is not, as some people believe, the name and credits for the end section of "Merry Go Bye Bye" (the song preceding it in the list), but is a joke at the expense of Lengyel and Heifetz, who had no songwriting credits for material appearing on the album.

"Carry Stress In The Jaw" is subtitled "Sleep: Part II" and "Phlegmatics" is "Sleep: Part III." Part I is "Slowly Growing Deaf" from the self-titled album. All three songs were written by Trevor Dunn, who didn't decide to make "Slowly Growing Deaf" part I until after the other two were written for Disco Volante. The three songs share themes dealing with body parts.

This would be Lengyel's final album with the band, leaving shortly after the tour due to "artistic differences." Heifetz would later comment, "I miss him. He added a huge chemical imbalance that helped us on the road. He hates us and rightfully so. The music changed, plain and simple. Very little call for saxes, trombone or flute. He was an original member. I'm not. Makes me feel a bit like a union-buster."

The album was re-released on Vinyl in January 2009 on Plain Recordings. Two versions are available, a Limited Edition (1000) green vinyl with a bonus 7" featuring "Platypus", as well as a standard black vinyl without the 7".

Accolades
Year↓ Publication↓ Country↓ Accolade↓ Rank↓
2006 Rock Sound United Kingdom "Les 150 Albums De La Génération" 69