Decal

Decal emerged in 1993 from Dublin, Ireland, initially operating as a duo. Alan O'Boyle placed an advertisement seeking participants for his indie group, prompting Dennis McNulty to get in touch. Drawing from a wide array of sources spanning Steve Reich through to Chaka Khan, the pair began layering guitar parts over electronic foundations. Insufficient quality studio gear complicated the guitar tracking process, which inadvertently shifted Decal toward a purely electronic approach. Their first release, Ultramack 004, came out in 1994 via the band's self-run Ultramack imprint and earned approval from notable DJ Andrew Weatherall, leading him to secure licensing for a pair of tracks on his Sabrettes label. Evolving over time, the group's downtempo techno style progressed toward greater electro influences on the 1998 album Lo-Lite. Throughout 1999, multiple electro-focused singles came out on their freshly established Trama Industries label, coinciding with circulating reports about the impending closure of Dublin's well-known Funnel dance venue. Reflecting clear dissatisfaction with the local club environment, the 2001 EP Dreaming of Electro She featured the inscription "this town is cracking up, this town has broke down" on its vinyl. An abstract release with minimal beats, 404 Not Found arrived in 2002 on Planet Mu, the label run by Mike Paradinas. In 2003, McNulty departed to pursue sound art and electronic improvisation work. Continuing alone with a stronger electro focus, O'Boyle issued Brightest Star through Rotters Golf Club that same year, followed by Release Through Velocity on Satamile in 2004.