From Jacob Arnold Sent Mon, Jan 25th 1999, 20:54
From Jacob Arnold Sent Mon, Jan 25th 1999, 20:54
I don't remember seeing much talk about *Artifakts (bc)* by Plastikman when it was released, so I thought I'd share my review. (It and many reviews along a similar vein are available on my Web site, Crossfade, at www.ithaca.edu/shp/shp99/jarnold1/.) I'm a big Plastikman fan. It's true. In fact, *Musik* is one of my favorite albums. Needless to say, when I heard Richie Hawtin (the man behind Plastikman) was releasing an album meant to be a follow-up to *Musik*, I was excited. Sure enough, *Artifakts (bc)* is a great album, but it isn't as funky as its predecessors. Also, it isn't as cohesive--it feels like a collection of tracks which should have been singles. The first half of *Artifakts* is reminiscent of the *Consumed* LP. Deep, thrumming basslines underscore hypnotic, swirling electronic voices. The melodies are subtle and slow to build in typical Plastikman style. Some of Hawtin's techniques have a Steve Reich feel to them. It's good--very good, but we've heard it before. If you like Hawtin's minimalist aesthetic, as I do, you will want to grab this album, but don't expect it to be innovative. It's the same Plastikman groove you know and love. Why does it leave me craving for something more? Perhaps because I like the direction Hawtin was taking in *Consumed*. I don't want to dwell on the past--I want Hawtin to move forward. Jacob Arnold