‘Wholesomely eccentric’ feels slightly like an oxymoron and might bring to mind that wild-eyed yet interesting drama teacher from school who used to waft around barefoot in a kaftan and get the class call her by her first name (“Hey guys, call me Jen”) – but I can think of no better words with which to describe the subject of this week’s ramblings who I rather fittingly happened to hear recently in a nonchalantly hip suburb of Stockholm . As I was bounding around town, marvelling at just how, well, nice everything was and how almost everyone looked so ice-cool, cycling everywhere and not bothering to lock up their bikes because the crime levels are so refreshingly low, it struck me how – sound the revelation alarm – wholesome does not in any way automatically mean dull. This notion is explosively demonstrated by those who provided the soundtrack to my Scandi tour, Uniforms For The Dedicated, a Scandinavian collective of lavishly talented musicians, designers, artists and general idea-mongers who want to dress, entertain, educate and fortify us with lovely electronic noises. Their concept is what I can only describe as a multi-pronged cultural attack that encompasses music, gentlemen’s fashion, design and film in a kind of bid to rule the creative arts with a new world order populated with free-thinking, nattily-attired hipsters.
A peek at their men’s clothing line reveals a selection of sartorial items that might be donned by the time-travelling lovechild of a utilitarian lumberjack and a mischievous Victorian street urchin en route to the circus – veering from understated cool to boldly eccentric, for the fellow who isn’t afraid to roll in with a pair of extravagant pantaloons, a strong brogue and a quirky pair of braces now and again.
In keeping with the bohemian theme, I can’t tell you how many of them there are, or what their names are, but it matters not – what matters is that the whole vibe of Uniforms as a concept is a tombola of eccentricity and diversity which makes them very appealing indeed. What I do know, however, is that they all live together in a minimalist commune, snacking on florets of broccoli and wholegrain crispbreads, pausing only to daub some abstract artwork onto a canvas to the sound of some experimental synth-based electronica reverberating through the open plan loft space in which they work. I can also definitely tell you that full, thick beards for gentlemen are compulsory, and the donning of top hats and monocles is actively encouraged. Ok, I can’t back up the validity of any element of that scenario but it’s how I like to imagine the Uniforms exist, in a veritable creative playground that’s produced some really interesting ideas and most excitingly to me, some ace music.
With four releases under their belts, the most recent being March Of No Coincidence, a moody, techy vocal offering featuring Maria Nordström, I’ve also included here a couple of other favourites of mine. First up is a remix of 1020 Trickery Lane by Aussie discoteers Rainbows of Death which chugs along nicely into 80’s electroville and wields a fat filter breakdown to seal the deal, and A Play of Nonsense, a twinkling indie disco bounder laced with shouty vocals that demand a jaunty sing along.
The accompanying videos to their music are also pleasingly peculiar, full of whimsy and originality, accurately reflecting the witty kookiness of Uniforms and tie up this beautifully dynamic package of audio visual treats. Uniforms For The Dedicated – you are anything but uniform, and we salute you.
Uniforms For The Dedicated – A Play of Nonsense (Original) [192 kbps]
Uniforms For The Dedicated – 1020 Trickery Lane (Rainbows Of Death remix) [320 kbps]
