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Album Details

• Artist: Plastikman
• Album: Closer
• Label: Novamute
• Year of Release: 2003
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2003-11-20

A new Plastikman album is usually cause for worry. You see, most Plastikman fans, like me, take his releases seriously. Sure, you have Richie Hawtin releases but there is something much deeper about his Plastikman persona. Oh, there are some moments when Hawtin peeks through like "Mind In Rewind" but the whole Plastikman experience is about fading into another world for the 1+ hours that you are listening for. And that is what you get for the most part on Closer. This is a dark album that requires headphones and a really dark room. It's been a long time since an album has required this much attention. I was trying to listen to it while I was working but I actually found it to be too distracting. The cover looks to be an extreme close-up of an eyeball. The album opens up with "Ask Yourself" and quiet talking introducing you to the epic that is about to come across your stereo. "Don't Ask Me / Ask Yourself" is what a heavily synthesized voice in the song keeps repeating to you as the beats pop off of your left and right channels. "Mind Encode" starts to get right into things. "Lost" is of soundtrack quality, seeming like a perfect backdrop for a scene where a ship is passing through space. Gentle in every aspect and nary a beat to be found. "Disconnect" brings us back to the land of the living with it's inventive rhythms. Two tracks that are bang on for song titles have to be "Headcase" and "Ping Pong". When Plastikman makes an album, it is cause for celebration, albeit a very quiet and sometimes solo celebration. Let's hope it's not another five years before Hawtin treats us to another one. I'm not sure if Closer is the best Plastikman album ever. Only time will tell that for sure, but it's definitely one that will be seeing repeat listens on my stereo.

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