After a series of 12"s on Traum, Carpark had the good sense to snatch up the former Miss Dinky for a full-length project. And like
Dinky herself (a Chilean who has taken up residency in both Berlin and New York City),
Black Cabaret is all over the place sonically and is a suitable audio diary for her extensive world travels as an artist. The highly prophetic "No Love" opening perfectly sets the tone for the rest of
Black Cabaret. It's the proper sound of a sexual New York City circa 2003, one that dances until well into the daylight hours on weekdays and doesn't need to find a reason or a weekend to throw a party, in a party scene fueled equally by the music as it is by outside distractions, feigned coolness/boredom, and materialistic items. And like N.Y.C. subways,
Dinky's production skills are all over the map, jumping from one sonic neighborhood to the next, stopping at a beautiful electro-chill piece like "Miles Away" and heading uptown for some Euro-sleaze punk with "American Guy." And while this record reeks of sexual tension and good times, it's not exactly the thing to play if you are looking to get the party started. But that shouldn't detract you from listening, either.
Black Cabaret is a stylish document and a crown jewel in the extremely diverse, ever-growing Carpark discography. ~ Rob Theakston