Spokes - Plaid

Firstly I would like to say a few things about reviewing music in general: reviewing music should not just be about listening to some tracks and coming up with an opinion - it should be an account of the whole experience from the album cover right through to the way it makes you feel. I will try to be as unbiased as possible, as I do like Plaid a lot!

The Album Cover

Before even listening to plaid, check out the album cover. I have the vinyl version (the only way with good music) and it really is a work of art. There is not a single work on the cover, inside or out, other than the artist and title in that brilliantly obscure font and the copyright notes on the back which take up less space than the barcode.

Annoyingly there isn't a track listing on the back.

Fortunately, I already know all the tracks well after hearing this music from other sources.

The vinyls themselves have the track names on them in the same interesting font as the front cover - can be a bit hard to read if you don't quite know what they are, but I think that could be the whole point.

The artwork depicts the sound very well - flowing and glitchy at the same time.

Track 1: Even Springs

Starts with a pleasant vibey sound with an obscured male vocal and a nice delay - this is definitely plaid I'm listening to.

Writing this in real time by the way folks.

After about 40 seconds a warm and soothing bassline comes in which has that great plaidesque off-beat on-beat timing.

Then your hit with the glitchy synths! My headphones love it! The whole audio experience breaks down into a well choreographed mish mash of sounds and finally breaks into the main tune which would suit driving down a motorway at night. Behind all this is a great stop start slapping kind of beat.

Some more glitchy phrases and delayed synths followed by a well deserved break using the syncopated bassline and vibes together to ride over the slappy glitch beat.

And your just left there at a rather odd moment in silence...

Track 2: Crumax Rins

This was the first track I ever heard by Plaid and hence is still my favourite.

It starts with an odd backward sucking sound and then goes into a trippy hi-hat beat which is filtered about at different quantised frequencies. This is immediately backed up with a simple but effective bass kick.

After a good wallow about with a bassline, it breaks down into the real beat - again with that stop start feel.

Ooh there's the Plaidy vibes again. We know this is going to be good. Some more beats are overlaid and there's a continuous but modulating interesting warble groan. The flowing vibes are then backed with yet more Plaid style glitchy synths. Nice rough edge to them works well with the what sound more like guitar plucks now than vibes.

Some more beats and the original vibes phrase is lost in a mish mash break down that sounds like they thought bugger this, I'm going to fiddle with knobs!

Ok, it starts to get a little too glitchy now, but still interesting to listen to. This glitchy mash moves around almost like the music is exploring itself.

Finally the track fades out with Star Trek style transporter sounds, or the sound the Tardis makes.

Track 3: Upona

Is that a scratch in the vinyl? No its some interesting glitchy hi-hats followed by random but inspiring synths. Some subtle atmospheric synths are introduced followed by what sounds like a frog using a Jewish harp. This track is more glitchy than tune like.

A break up followed by a satisfyingly rubbery bass line demonstrates a more subtle glitchy edge to the album. No more expansive soundscapes, this is real Plaid glitch style.

After a while the main character of this track comes out, an oddly plaid flute sounding synth which you want to show sympathy for, yet it is trying to tell you a story.

Yes Plaid, we will throw in some more glitchy track fiddling. The track breaks up into something rather different.

I don't like it any more.

What's that noise, is it Plaid, no this time it really is the vinyl, end of Side A, flipping it over…

Track 4: Zeal

Scary sounds likely to frighten your speakers. A synth fights its way through the odd movie-style sound effects until it finally wins and takes over, bringing the track into its main theme. Breaks into another familiar Plaid style beat. Lots of good use of the full speaker range, this is a very sample and sound effect based track.

The plinky plonky synth is actually quite attractive, especially when other synths are added in syncopation. This is interrupted with some glitchy breakouts that sound like half the equipment being used to produce the track is being turned on and off again. Another break into some good war drum sounding beats. Ah yes, more syncopated synths. And more. I like these kind of sounds. A beat in the background with synths that work for and against the track creating a great sense of love-hate relationship between synths and beats.

It all ends with a very strange sound that is rather like trying to saw open a tin can.

Track 5: Cedar City

The aliens have landed. Nope, my imagination, I'm enlightened with some seemingly harmless Hammond organ samples. This is all very relaxing for Plaid, I anticipate a glitchy beat. There it is. Again, the start-stop style 2 hi-hat, snare style beat. Broken up with good use of tonal dynamics and synth melodies. I can feel some jazz influences in this, however I have lost interest in the track now, it hasn't developed much.

Track 6: B Born Droid

Very sample based beginning. This really does sound like something out of a sci-fi movie. Some organ based synths are introduced which are backed up with oriental plucks and an interesting glitchy beat. This is actually very funky. Overall, there is a very eastern feel to this track, and is not as hardcore glitch as Plaid can sometimes be.

A pleasant listen, thought inspiring music.

Track 7: Marry

Side C. Yeh, no kidding, vinyl is flat right? To be picky this is Side A of the second vinyl.

I'm listening to this whole thing in headphones so it is very upfront - I got quite a fright when this track started. Sounds like machinery in agony, unpleasant and interesting at the same time if that is possible. There is some hope however, as some vocoder based synths lead up to… a GREAT BEAT.

This is like breakbeat. I could dance to this. Imagine simple breakbeat/drum and bass but with some slow moving vibe and piano based synths flowing over the top.

Again, I am reminded of motorway driving for some reason. The track 'drives' along. I think this track would work very well if it was slipped into a dance/breakbeat DJ's set. People would continue dancing but say wow what is this. This track pushes the boundaries of where good electronic music can meet dance music. (I see the two as separate - electronic music is for listening to in your lounge, dance music is for going nuts to on the dance floor. Having said that the two fields overlap.)

This is an awesome track. I suppose I ought to be more descriptive.
An uplifting set of synths crescendo into a, ooh, Sigur Ros style synthy trumpet melodies. Lots of foldback distortion.

My my I'm writing a lot more than I thought I would, is anyone going to really read this?

Track 8: Get What You Gave

Good use of beat, melody and bass syncopation. Has a vary Caribbean feel to it. An enjoyable track. Later on, Plaid introduce the all familiar double synth effect - one synth punches out the main tune and another echoes this tune following close behind. It works very well and its one of the things that makes plaid so unique.

Side D

Track 9: Buns

Your welcomed to this side with some plinky plonky sounds followed by a simple but distant synth which is instantly washed away with some more great work with those glitchy beats. The melody itself is somewhat random and a little unsatisfying. This track is bound to annoy some people. I don't particularly like it, but I am happy listening to it as it is still a good audible adventure to go on.

Ok, maybe I've had enough. Not for the feint hearted.

Track 10: Quick Emix

Plaid do like to start their tracks with sound effects that would work very well in a sci-fi movie. Some odd drainpipe sounds are collaborated with a bass kick trying to kick out a beat. This is rudely interrupted by a swelling low synth which coaxes the beat back into existence. The well formed bassline will take your subwoofer on a good holiday.

Water droplets are tuned to sound like they are trying to come out with a melody. They are held back by the glitchy style cut-offs which work well to an extent, however, I would quite like this to break out into a good melody. Instead the beat comes back to underlay the ever increasing mix of synth 'noises'.

summary and overall opinion

This is definitely a great album for those who like to listen to music for an audible experience. It's a great work of electronic synths and glitchy beats which are woven together in a hypnotic but inspiring way. Some parts of the album are a little too glitchy and random, but this is offset by most of the tracks which will tantalise your ears and open your mind.