Single Review: Wasted My Time - Superpowerless

Superpowerless is 20 year old Oliver Hindle from Leeds and Wasted My Time comes as the winning track from Vodafone's Fast Track competition. Oliver himself describes Superpowerless' sound as "Game Boy-fueled adventure-core" and based on Chiptune debut single 'Wasted My Time' the influence is clear.

Inspired by the Postal Service to get into electronic music and subsequently Depeche Mode and .Adult amongst others the influences are pretty clear with 'Wasted My Time' coming across with the sweet 16 bit pop of the Jimmy Tamborello / Ben Gibbard side project but with a dash of tongue in cheek darkness.

The result, now re-recorded with producer and DJ Andy Chatterly (who has worked with Kanye West in the past, notably on 'Stronger') is quite enjoyable and features a new video directed by Luc Janin that draws on the videogame theme.

'Wasted My Time' is out on Vodafone Live on 23 March 2009 and Superpowerless play live on 24 March at the Old Blue Last in Shoreditch, London.

BP x

Album Review: A Cross The Universe - Justice

Earlier this year Soulwax unleashed the glorious live CD / DVD / Documentary Part of the Weekend Never Dies and it is very difficult not to view and critique A Cross the Universe, itself a live DVD and Documentary / Film, in the same context. And if you do you are left with a far more two dimensional experience: unlike the Soulwax documentary the Justice 'film' is deliberately obtuse. So much so in fact that you will probably feel you know less about the Gallic duo when it is finished than when it began.

Part of the Weekend was an insightful peek into a band that became part of a scene with no name, their influences, their peers and those they have themselves inspired, not to mention life on the road when on a (very) long tour. A Cross the Universe is exclusively a look at the last of these elements and whereas the Soulwax package featured live recordings here there are no full length tracks, just snippets. There is no real insight beyond an anecdotal look at just how weird it is to be a pair of young musicians thrust into fame in a foreign land and at times BlackPlastic was genuinely unsure whether the content on screen was genuine or scripted.

This last fact is probably particularly telling. Real or not, A Cross the Universe is a commentary not on THIS band, but a commentary on being in bands in general and the bizarre and twisted life it leads to. If nothing else, this DVD goes someway to explaining how you end up like Ozzy Osbourne.

So is it any good? BlackPlastic genuinely has no idea.

The CD is a little easier to comment on. You may or may not be aware of the recent controversy surrounding a photo that appeared to show Justice 'playing live' despite that fact their equipment was not plugged in. In good nature the band joked about performing 'unplugged' and argued that the error was noticed when the particular piece of equipment failed to work and there are indeed later shots from the evening that show the equipment with power. This in itself is evidence of the barmyness of being on tour - the fact that such a thing could go unnoticed for long enough that photographic evidence survives.

It also raises a question over whether the recording here is anything more than a studio tweaked version of Cross played to an audience. But it is important to remember that this doesn't actually matter. Firstly because the act of listening to a recorded 'live' event in your home is stupid anyway and secondly because live electronic music is often about little more than spectacle. With none of the vocalists present, what Justice are delivering is the shared experience of enjoying their music with like-minded individuals and, to be honest, putting Cross on shuffle in a big room would work almost as well.

So the tracks are suitably adjusted and there are a couple of re-edits for the die hard fans but the main point off this recording is the audible excitement of the crowd as they cheer and join in. The audio quality is questionable and in BlackPlastic's opinion it isn't as consistent a set as the Soulwax one on Part of the Weekend but there is still enough here to keep you going until the follow up to Cross.

BP x

Video: Feelings Have Changed - The New Sins

BlackPlastic has a big wobbly crush on The New Sins.  Spin off side project from New Young Pony Club's Lou Hayter, first single 'It Doesn't Work Like That' quickly demonstrated where the talent is in NYPC whilst simultaneously bettering their entire first album in 3:13.

'Feelings Have Changed' has the same post-feminist self-assurance and another great 80s video.  It benefits from space and poise.  BlackPlastic says it too often but this is what pop music should be - it sounds like pure extravagance, and Hayter manages to be the shiny gift you know you just haven't been good enough for this Christmas.

Stop drip feeding these releases please - three songs a year is not enough.

BP x

Video: Kermit I love you but you're bringing me down...

Too good not to share.

Those that have followed BlackPlastic long enough may remember our affection for 'New York I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down' and those that were paying close attention may recall a certain anonymous commentor's assertion that the opening verse sounds like Kermit the Frog.

Well the Guardian's Music Blog have posted a video in which Kermit performs said song, on location in New York. This is, frankly, genius - stay tuned for the bridge at 3:20 and even better, the twist at the end.

BP x

Review: Part of the Weekend Never Dies - Soulwax / Radio Soulwax / 2 Many DJs

Every now and again you meet someone new and, at some point, the conversation somewhat inevitably comes to the topic of Soulwax and, somehow, you realise you have met an individual who hasn't the faintest idea who this group is. Such an event is rare but disapponting nonetheless as it is truly difficult to understand how we find ourselves in the current musical climate without our friends from Ghent.

And so BlackPlastic is going to say little but:

if you haven't seen the Soulwax documentary Part of the Weekend Never Dies yet then go and watch it because it just might be this decade's most important music documentary.

It perfectly encapsulates just why Soulwax are important:

1. They (along with a few others) helped to invent what we now know as modern dance music (call it nu-rave if you like).
2. They redefine the tired notion of band / remix artists / DJs.
3. They have lots of fans. Some are even famous.
4. They are still very, very fucking loud.

Some interesting facts you will learn:
1. Which recently huge dance crossover artists used multiple Soulwax samples on their debut album.
2. Which nu-rave band would never have got into dance music without Soulwax / 2 Many DJs.
3. Why BlackPlastic's favourite Soulwax track, 'NY Excuse', gets even more punk when you learn its origins.

The DVD also comes with a live performance on DVD and CD. Value, hey?

BP x