Merge Records presents The Diet, the debut album from HeCTA.

Using the idea of combining the notion of “song” and elements from stand-up comedy, and electronic music and a shared love of the electronic form and its many permutations, HeCTA respectfully, playfully explored and experimented to make The Diet.

HeCTA is Scott Martin (drums, percussion, piano, synths, programming, editing), Ryan Norris (synthesizers, vocoder, electric guitar, electric bass, synth bass, programming, editing), and Kurt Wagner (voice, keyboards, programming, editing).

Kurt offered these words to describe the HeCTA concept:

As HeCTA, we take our approach seriously and are respectfully aware of the great electronic music created throughout its history continuing into the present—so much so that when it came time to mix these recordings, we reached out to some of the central figures of the genre. Such greats as Morgan Geist, John McEntire, and Q all had a hand in shaping the refined sound we present to you. With invaluable creativity and engineering by Jeremy Ferguson at Battle Tapes in Nashville, we together created what we consider to be a collection of songs that move and move through you, from the dashboard to the dance floor, from Decatur to Dornburg, from Dorchester to Detroit.

Suck it up, hippies. This music is our attempt to extend the boundaries of our expression and have some fun. It’s not Americana, house, techno, trap, juke, or blaze. Why would it be? And like any good diet, it will be reviled then ultimately loved by all who give it a chance to work its way into their lives.

We love you for trying, and we’re trying to love you back.

LP includes a coupon for a full download.