EP: Desktop - Desktop

Desktop are Electric Six's Keith Thompson and The Pop Project's Zach Curd but unlike the output from their day jobs, based on their debut self-titled EP anyhow, Desktop produce slinky eighties influenced wunder-pop. We dig it.

Their three-track EP is available to download for free on their website and is well worth listening too.  As increasingly seems to be the case, this project was developed in remote-collaboration (a la the Postal Service) with both Thompson and Curd revising each other's contributions.  Based on what BlackPlastic has heard it works and we are certainly feeling these lazy summertime tunes, sounding like something created somewhere between New Order's ode to the Balearics, Technique, and Chicago house.

All we're saying though is it's still nice to, you know, see people in the flesh and all.

In addition to the free download Desktop will be releasing a very limited run of 200 12" inches with letterpressed jackets via Suburban Sprawl Music/Quack Media on September 29th, 2009.

BP x

Album Review: Don't You Remember The Future - Jamie Jones

Such is the case with genre-music, your enjoyment of any particular album rests on what you think of that style of music. Don't You Remember The Future is what it is: a plodding, proggy, tech-house work out that is at turns groovily Balearic, lamely portentous and mind numbingly dull. Billed as a kind of concept album dreamt up in a fourteen year old's bedroom, Jamie Jones says: “The idea that this is the year 2116, when music has become some kind of controlled means of manipulating humans, and the rebellion consists of artist like myself who are hiding underground creating sounds that explore outside that control.”

BlackPlastic might have been able to keep a better sense of humour about this had we been able to get any genuine enjoyment out of listening to it. It nods along nicely enough and the Prince flavoured 'Summertime' is an early highlight that at the same time had us begging the question - why aren't we just listening to Prince? Mercifully, things improve towards the end and 'Absolute Zero' is a trip-hoppy number followed by the more jacking ʻGalactic Space Barʼ featuring The Egyptian Lover.

As with anything more progressive, this benefits from being listened to front-to-back but in the same breath it doesn’t really work outside of the dancefloor, not that it would really be much fun on the dancefloor. It feels like a sampler for anonymous tech-house DJs.

The fact remains however, that if you are a fan of this kind of stuff you'll probably like it. Maybe we don't understand, maybe we don't want to understand, maybe we take the wrong drugs or go to the wrong parties. It’s ok for what it is but frankly life’s far too short.

BP x

Don't You Remember The Future is released on Crosstown Rebels on 7 September, available for pre-order on Amazon.co.uk on CD.

Album Review: My Heart Beats Like A Drum - Natural Self

Natural Self's new album, My Heart Beats Like A Drum, represents a bit of an evolution for the artist - with a more mature, emotive sound than previous work it feels like there is much more colour to this record. The overall impact of the album is improved by the inclusion of guest vocals, provided by French vocalist Elodie Rama. It's an approach that undoubtedly works - adding colour and variety to an album that only really falls down when it stops changing.

There is a good chance you may not have heard of Natural Self and if this is the case then for your benefit he is Nathaniel Pearn and he produces laid back, soulful, rhythm based music. Much of it is instrumental and there are times when the music shines enough to warrant the space. The Cuban summer jam of 'Days Get Brighter' for example, or the drowsy 'Even Planets Get Lonely' - a track that sounds like it is literally buckling under the strain of staying awake in the midday sun.

The problem with all the instrumentals is that, taken together, they do not feel distinct enough to the casual listener to ensure engagement. A shame, given that they are generally pretty good. What saves My Heart Beats Like A Drum are those vocal tracks, fulfilling a palate cleansing role and throwing in a bit of spice to make thing just that bit more interesting.

There may only be three tracks with full vocals but they play a vital role in giving the album life. Of the three it is actually Natural Self's own delivery on the bluesy 'Every Day' that shines the most. Packed with bags of space and feeling it feels like a dip in the pool compared to the dry heat of some of the instrumentals here.

My Heart Beats Like A Drum is an album full of beautiful timing and textures and it will create a perfect soundtrack to lazing in the summer sunshine. A few more vocal cuts and a bit more variety could make Natural Self's next album great - in the meantime this one will simply have to settle for being rather good instead.

BP x

My Heart Beats Like A Drum is released on Tru Thoughts on 19 October 2009.

Single Review: White Elephant - Wallenberg

Apparently this song dropped on Bandcamp back in March this year but it has only just hit BlackPlastic's inbox.

BlackPlastic doesn't really know anything about who or what Wallenberg is / are but this tune feels like pure zen. According to the bandcamp site it is based on the expression of a 'white elephant' - that is an expensive object far greater in 'value' than usefulness... Only the white elephant in this song is actually rather grey and therefore has no spiritual or materialistic value. Yet it is able to carry a dude and a banjo, so maybe it is useful after all?

Apparently this has something to do with the effort involved in writing music.

All this is frankly superfluous because what is important is that the song itself manages to capture a fantastic otherworldliness, intelligent, Eastern and spiritual.  It's certainly worth a quick listen in the player above. If you like it support the artist and download it from Bandcamp.

BP x

Album Review: Moondagger - Deastro

Deastro's slept-on début rocked BlackPlastic's world gently last year when it was released exclusively on eMusic - it's emotive electronic distortion hit a chord and made us go a bit wobbly.

An if Keeper's was a pleasant surprise then Moondagger is a bone fide love bomb. Made of the kind of tunes that BlackPlastic would happily lose their head in for days this is an album that separates the wheat from the chaff of Deastro's previous work to deliver something that really qualifies him as a unquestionably individual.

Moondagger is full of the soppy electronic punk records and the result is a perfect soundtrack to runaway to. Imagine the Pixies meets New Order on the way back from the keyboard store. Exactly.

If Moondagger falls just short of classic status it is only due to a slightly inconsistent overall flow and slight lack of consistency but it is worth noting that this still represents a significant step change from the last album. With tunes like the anarchic and bonkers 'Daniel Johnston Was Stabbed In The Heart With The Moondagger By The King Of Darkness And His Ghost Is Writing This Song As A Warning To All Of Us' Moondagger simply has bags of charm.

At its best - on the irrepressibly enthutiastic 'The Shaded Forests (Gift Givers Version)' or the melancholic 'Kurgan Wave Number One' - this is spine-tinglingly good. 'Kurgen Wave Number One' is so unapologetically bang on the money that you can actually feel the sting from the love turned sour that inspired it just by listening. Music that evocative has to be worth something.

BP x

Moondagger is out now on Ghostly International, order from Amazon.co.uk on CD, MP3 or LP [affiliate links.