Plastikman – Sheet One

In dance music most of the attention in Acid House (88-89) went towards Rave (89-94) which includes hardcore techno. While Acid House clearly had minimalistic and abstract elements, Rave and eventually Gabber (93-96) lost that. This record fills the gap towards more obscure continuation of abstract music: Minimal Techno. For that reason this record is of importance in music history.
It is more sophisticated and abstract and less danceable than Acid House. In addition it is Techno but has no Detroit Techno feel to it. For Acid House lovers this record is an ending point and for Minimal Techno fans it's the starting point.

I was introduced to techno in general and Hawtin in particular with this album. And what an introduction. This is not dance music and, to me, is not associated with it. It's an exploration of something more refined and artistic. Hawtin manages to portray an atmosphere of epic proportions with so little and with such skill as to leave me in awe.

I have a question for other Plastikfans: are the samples regarding the alien from a Sci-Fi film and if so, what is it?

I hate to ruin the mood of Godliness for this album, it is good, but it's not good enough to achieve the Godly raves it's gotten for the last eleven years. I mean really, it was unique and it was actually quite excellent, but it wasn't Godly! I think Gak is the only really danceable track on it and Plasticine is trippy indeed, but this more of a listening album than a rave deity. You have to be in the mood to hear this through and through from front to back. Otherwise, if Gak was released as a single I think I'd have to steer possible buyers to that record and save the 2x12" for home. But now that everybody thinks I hate it, let me reiterate, it IS a great record, but Godly Deity could be reserved for many other better dance releases. If you were to play this for today's uneducated club crowd, I think they'd fall asleep halfway through Plasticine. But Gak on the other hand - there are dire benefits to limiting the time of your tracks to about six minutes! One of the freshest basslines ever, too! Check the way the two 303s are mirrored about two octaves apart to achieve the great acid effects. That should have been released as a single! Eh, NovaMute?????

One of the first records to turn the 303 acid box upside down from glorious high to isolationist low, Plastikman's first album focuses on laser-precise minimalist rhythms to drive a series of echo-box acid lines that gradually acquire power over the course of lengthy album tracks like the ten-minute "Drp," "Glob," and "Plasticine."

Legendary first "Plastikman" album which showed the directory of development of electronic music at this time (1993). "Koma" is my personal favourite, it contains a nice sentimental melody. Recommended for friends of oldskool minimalistic techno.