Plaid – P-brane EP

A huge attraction to this EP has nothing to do with the music, but the experience of playing the vinyl. The last track, Mfaus is printed in an irregular groove pattern that makes the needle jitter along as it plays, instead of the usual smooth glide in the groove.

As far as the auditory content goes each song creates a remarkably different ambience. Starting with Coat, Plaid gradually envelop the listener in refined glitch that is simple but not without subtle complexity. Diddymousedid picks up where Coat leaves off. It's slightly more uptempo with a humourously fun beat and playful high-pitched notes scattered perfectly all through the soundscape. Flip the record over and discover a more dark and foreboding atmosphere. The samples are more industrial than side A, transporting the listener to depths of outerspace and outertime. But even on this sound journey there are times of lightness, stepped into with seamless transition. Mfaus ends the EP off with a fast ditty that focuses on the glitchy monotonous beat.

Overall this album provides one of many examples of the refined sound of the twenty-first century's IDM and glitch music. Plaid demonstrate their aptitude at building something remarably complex and beautiful from a simple start with an astounding subtelty. Even in the complex moments, the sound is drawn-back providing excellent ambient music for the home of the future.

For me, the P-BRANE EP delivers on all the promise that Plaid had after their debut album. Subsequent albums didn't have the same luster, but immediately, on "Coat," the complexity and musicality are back. The brightness of "Diddymousedid" also re-injects the sense of whimsy and fun that to some extent had faded from their work. "Stills" is much icier, but with a beautiful, drifting synth line, and the static that starts "Mfaus" quickly resolves into some frenetic digital electro. Plaid should always been this good.

Very good Plaid EP, but what would you expect from them! My first meet and love was Diddymousedid, that is very melodic and gentle on its texture, but with the time I learnt the 3 other cuts are great.
Stills is airy and lift you up, while Mfaus makes you want to bang your head past the almost creepy bass at the begining.
Only one regret, Coat takes some time to start for real, and from there I wish it last longer.

Happy and intricate, and a little more intensely minimalist and aggressive toward the end. Not for those who like their music dark and nasty, and for those who find undersampling (an effect exploited quite a bit in the first track) annoying.

some people (though not the earlier posters) consider this a slight release, but i absolutely love it. the first time i heard plaid i thought they sounded fairly cheesy but something happened one damn where I fell in love with them... three of the four songs on the EP just knock me over.

The first track Coat is an f****** amazing stormer, very gritty and dirty with some lush strings that kick in after a few mins....I'm not too keen on the 2nd track, but thats just me. The last track needs to be longer, a lot longer.

one of plaids best releases i think, has a weird quality to it, in that on their own the tracks sound good, but listened to as a whole ep they sound fantastic, it becomes better than the sum of it's parts!

This is right up there, you can really here the new technology these guys must have laid their plaidy hands on in recent months as i listen to Trainer at least once a week and the some of the sounds do sound dated.
Well worth the money, it will make you smile.