One of my first encounters with techno came in the form of afull-length cassette released on Wax Trax! Records by an artist calledF.U.S.E. From the first time I heard the classic "Train Tracs," I knewthere was something about this music (and the producer, Richie Hawtin)that I needed to explore further. Though at the time I was heavy intoindustrial music, I viewed that cassette as a unique gem in my musiccollection, one I would refer back to regularly. Fast forward to thepresent: Hawtin is now one of the most in-demand DJs in the world andcertainly one of my favorites. Finally, after several years of nearsilence as a musician, he has pulled together Closer,a new album of material under his most well known moniker—Plastikman.Taking cues from his previous work as well as injecting elements ofdark ambient and industrial music in the mix, the ten songs presentedhere are some of the bleakest and most atmospheric tracks Hawtin hasever produced. Building up the minimal aesthetic of his Consumedalbum to something far less bare, Hawtin fuses together razor sharpbeats, snarling bass tones, microscopic melodies, unrecognizable 303manipulations, and, at times, spoken word poetry. The crisp 4/4 rhythmsof "Headcase," though never quite delivering the anticipated punch,erratically lose their way among the clutter of quirky bleeps. "PingPong" and "I Don't Know" (the latter treating us to some classicchillour acid around the 6:00 mark) follow a similar experimental routebut has a heavier clubby feel ideal for open-minded dancefloors. "Lost"deviates from the formula a bit with a prominent string sequencegliding over the gutteral rumbles and de-tuned stabs that fill thisbeatless space. Of course, this serves as a proper introduction to thealbum's first single "Disconnect," a menacing yet groovy vocal track.Be forewarned: those of you who've endured countless goth bands intheir lives will cringe at the dismally low quality of Hawtin's prose.Still, I urge you to look past this one indulgence as the solitary flawon an otherwise perfect release. Headphone use is strongly encouraged. Read More
