Yes Dead Cities is a dark masterpiece. I was digging on Fuzzy Logic in 1996, about as experimental as I got, when one of my mates at uni said fuck that listen to this and lent me Dead Cities. From the first somersaulting samples and breaks it blew my mind. Totally opened my mind to electronic music as a pure indie saddo. For me, probably one of the top 3 most important records I’ve ever listened to. Love to know how they put it together.
FSOL had a similarly significant impact on me... Around 94 or 95 I was at a house party, of some middle class teenagers, who were being rebellious, listening to Green Day, Alanis Morrisette and Garbage... A random punk dude, who sort of gate crashed the party took over the CD player in one room, obviously alienating everyone in a short space of time, so that he had the room to himself for most of the night. I came in at one point and he was listening to FSOL's ISDN ... I was blown away by it, so trippy and epic and massive and weird etc etc...
Me: "What is this? Fuck this would sound amazing on acid!!"
Random Punk Guy: "yeah! Too right mate.... [short pause] ... actually mate, do you want this CD? I stole it from someone but I don't really like it... It's not really my thing..."
Me: "Sure!"
I still have the CD (and tattered inlay) to this day. The CD is kinda fucked now though.
I always got the impression that the main music producer of FSOL was Brian Dougans, and Gary Cobain was more of the "front man" / performer / singer, but I don't really know if that's the case. I definitely suspect someone (or both) of FSOL has some form of synesthesia, it's something in the way sounds are grouped and presented in their soundscapes, it always feels so visual. At least on ISDN and Dead Cities, I wasn't too fussed on their later output, I have to confess.