[ACLRDR03 / E6PLP1 / UiM 011] $DVORE – $DVORE

by on in Releases

$DVORE by $DVORE (a.k.a. Cardevore) is a murky karaoke session with Albert Pla, Héctor Lavoe, Ray Heredia, and Juanma of Eskorbuto, all indulging themselves by singing over melodies of torn velvet, technological detritus, pure chop, screw, and reverb. Or, to put it another way: trashpresiosismo. This is the unusual beauty—and also the name of one of his hits, “Trashpresiosismo”—of his music; a spherical perfection, even if the sphere itself is made of pure rust.

The album $DVORE is the founding myth of Cardevore’s uncontrolled dumping of jewels. Originally released in 2015 in cassette format by San José Tapes, Dani Cardevore has now—ten years later (more or less, no need to split hairs)—called on the record labels Aceleradora, Empty 6 Pack, and Urpa i musell, along with his friends Caramuerto, Chad Williams, Cristian de Sucre and Jude Nietz, to celebrate the anniversary together by reissuing it in vinyl format. The album has been revised—stripped-back, now there are no filler tracks, and enriched, an extra contemporary track not included on the tape, “Trashpreciosismo” (produced by GXLXZZX)—and remastered for the occasion.

Cardevore has been a regular in the sewers of Barcelona for about twenty years, ever since he began taking to the stage as a member of the Detakon family and collective in the bands Isards, Ojos Sin Rostro, and VIDA. These groups were noise propagators and worshippers of the unknown, fundamental to the post-Fòrum de les Cultures underground agitation that was still burbling before the macro-festivals coagulated practically everything. It is in this framework that the solo proposal of Cardevore a.k.a. $DVORE was born.

In 2013, Cardevore released his first solo album, also titled $DVORE. In $DVORE-2013 (as we call it to avoid confusion), we find an imagination still in formation, halfway between the Isards and Cardevore we enjoy today. Two years later, $DVORE (2015) marked the definitive establishment of his singular and unusual voice—at once linked to diverse worlds and generations, capable of experimenting with music that was effervescent at the time (such as trap), and bringing together multiple contemporary and extemporaneous references.

Afterwards, he increasingly dedicated himself to music as a one-on-one dialogue. While in $DVORE, the vis-à-vis was with his own references (which he transmuted and reshaped), from 2016 onward, the conversation led to multiple collaborations. Since then, Cardevore has traveled the underground through most of Spain, establishing links with some of its most restless, interesting, and mysterious elements. Luli Rebe & sus Xocolatinas was the N1 somnolent pop trio where the now-renowned Rebe began making music with the help of Cardevore and her friend Luli. Richard Mangosta y $DVORE formed an impossible trapper-crooner duo and released the EP Ensirucaos (7RECXRDS, 2016). Desglaç Nazazu was a project between Cardevore and the Basque duo Elbis Rever, creating wonderful “jailbird bachatas” (Caballito Netlabel, 2019). Dayane Sudore was another ephemeral and mysterious collaboration. Judith y Daniel, his duet with Judith (half of Damoridemort), has been his most fruitful collaboration so far, releasing two essential, free, and graceful odes to nature: the cassette tapes La caseta de fusta (Crystal Mine, 2020) and 20 20 (Crystal Mine, 2020).

To this list, we must add Cardevore’s alias Dj Sensaciones, used both for DJing and for sporadic collaborations with the hip-hop and trap scene. With the producer GXLXZZX, they made the hit “Trashpreciosismo” (Broken Toys Record, 2016)—the bonus track included in this reissue—and with El Sobrino, they made “Jamón,” produced by YXGI THE BEAT (Broken Toys Record, 2016). Finally, returning to the dialogue-transubstantiation with his references, Cardevore has persisted with versions and tributes to artists like Pata Negra and Enrique Morente, with the perfect sequel to $DVORE which is the tape Lo Bueno y lo malo (Crystal Mine, 2020), here under the alias of Cardevore, as well as the tape La Llosa by La Llosa (Crystal Mine, 2022), “poisoned” by Eskorbuto.

In 2015, $DVORE was a rare bird ahead of its time. The freshness and courage with which it brought together a condensation of references (now indisputable, then unusual) and contemporary production—in full harmony with the lo-fi junk of the burgeoning vaporwave scene—shocked us as something unexpected and strange. Now, without having lost any strength, singularity, or magic, Cardevore’s album is more current than ever. It has made a mark, and if we dig deeper, we perceive that it transcends its own validity. His music goes further; it is eternal thanks to his irrevocable longing for the joy of living—passionate, sincere, and fearless—crystallized in a vital instinct of “Amor anarquia” (Love anarchy). This concept has been transmuted into a symbol (see the labels on the album) and is also the title of another hit on the record. Luckily, Dani’s creative flow never stops, and we know he has projects underway that we look forward to enjoying soon! Having arrived here, all we can do is wish a long life to trash-dimensional preciousness!

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