Pluxus – Solid State

Pluxus' SOLID STATE gets a re-release on Kompakt, and no wonder: the grit that starts off "Transient" soon gives way to a electronic hoe-down, while the stuttering synths of "Perm" offer a more mellow journey. "Kinoton" lets some country-esque guitars strum their way into the mix, as "Forth" chugs on. "Contax" gives up a slow, steady 4/4, and the gentleness of "Sansui" allows for a breath of air as the title track wobbles around. And while "Slow Peel" ends the album on an off-kilter, syncopated note, for me, the standout of the album is "Bootstrap," with its thundering percussion and synth riffs. You don't get much more solid than that.

In an ideal world, this tasty and gorgeous album would have been re-released on Antonelli Electr.'s Italic imprint. All the ingredients are here - a slight pinch of disco, a hint of EBM, vintage synths, modern experimental sounds and noises, a very "designed" overall sound, wonderful graphic artwork and package design and a lot of soul behind all those layers of stumbling grooves, fluffy tones and moody spheres. Quite experimental listening with tricky rhythms and a stunning presence inhabiting all sounds. Advanced summer evening listening.

Kompakt sure show good taste by making this available again. However, this album doesn't sound anything like Kompakt did in 2008. Which doesn't hurt.

It's hard to listen to the Kompakt issue of this album and not put it in the context of Kompakt. It's been a really long time since they have so prominently issued previously released material from outside its usual circle of artists, at least since its humble beginnings. That said, the appearance of "Solid State" on Kompakt is perplexing only for that reason; given the label's slide towards towards more disco and new wave inflected sounds, it's right at home. Still, that shift in sound has always felt a bit like Kompakt trying to maintain its relevance; as a result, they have never felt like leaders in the sound. The appearance of "Solid State" on Kompakt emphasises that they too feel this doubt.

Now onto the album itself. At barely 40 minutes long and with virtually no standout tracks, it doesn't make for a particularly immediate or memorable work. There's a degree of experimentation throughout that seems to recall the days of early Kompakt's abstract funk and Mille Plateaux's click hop, but nothing here really takes it much further than that. In fact, the best track on the album is probably the least experimental-sounding; "Bootstrap", with its more straightahead feel, makes for the most evocative and enticing track on the album. The jaunty or otherwise awkward rhythms and structures throughout the rest of the album make every track somewhat irritating. Although "Transient" is nearly the worst offender in this department (excepting "Perm"), it has a certain charm and catchiness that make it somewhat interesting.

While "Solid State" doesn't bring much new to what already feels like a very tired style, it still manages to outperform most of Kompakt's similarly themed output, although only slightly.