Something I’ve wanted to do for a good while is present a selection of a few personal favourite tunes from English electronic outfit Plaid. For the best part of 15 years or so Plaid have been plying their trade, and I think it’s fair to say that through a host of great releases they have created a sound that is unmistakably unique to them. As of late they seem to have been a bit quiet, save for producing the original score for 2007 Japanese anime film Tekkonkinkreet. Hopefully we’ll be treated to some new material in the near future, but details at the moment are thin on the ground.
Anyways, in the unlikely event that you’re not already familiar with these guys, a few handpicked tracks below should set you off. From their first major album Not For Threes we have the unlikely but wonderful tropical steel-drum jam of “Myopia”. Off 1999’s Restproof Clockwork I chose “Dang Spot”, a frantic song with examples of the quirky synths that have come to define Plaid. It was a tough call trying to decide which one to pick from Double Figure because I still think it’s one of the best electronic albums out there. I settled on the closing track “Manyme”, a slow number with simply stunning vocals that sways along beautifully to finish the album. “Diddymousedid” from the P-Brane ep shows again what a sucker I am for the intriguing noises these guys can make. The last track is from their latest full-length album, Spokes. “B Born Droid” is another tranquil affair with some sublime melodies that make it a classic Plaid tune I reckon.
Check out the trailer after the mp3s for an amazing video for “Super Barrio” by video wizard Bob Jaroc as part of the recent Greedy Baby ep/dvd. All the videos and songs in the project kick ass, so check it out if you can.
MP3s
Plaid – Myopia (Not for threes)
[audio:https://nialler9.com/mp3/Plaid_-_Myopia.mp3]Plaid – Dang Spot (Restproof Clockwork)
[audio:https://nialler9.com/mp3/Plaid_-_Dang_Spot.mp3]
Plaid – Manyme (Double figure)
[audio:https://nialler9.com/mp3/Plaid_-_Manyme.mp3]Plaid – Diddymousedid (P-Brane ep)
[audio:https://nialler9.com/mp3/Plaid_-_Diddymousedid.mp3] [audio:https://nialler9.com/mp3/Plaid_-_B_Born_Droid.mp3]Bob Jaroc video trailer for “Super Barrio” by Plaid
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
thanks for reminding me how good these are. You forget these things sometimes. Double figure is magic!
thanks for reminding me how good these are. You forget these things sometimes. Double figure is magic!
thanks for reminding me how good these are. You forget these things sometimes. Double figure is magic!
I know – there’s a whole bunch of other tunes I had to leave out! If you haven’t seen Greedy Baby, check it out, it’s fuckin brilliant.
I know – there’s a whole bunch of other tunes I had to leave out! If you haven’t seen Greedy Baby, check it out, it’s fuckin brilliant.
check out the black dog bytes album for some great early plaid stuff…the trainer album contains some real gems too..
check out the black dog bytes album for some great early plaid stuff…the trainer album contains some real gems too..
some interesting choices. no way would i have chosen ‘myopia’ and ‘manyme’. however, ‘dang spot’ and ‘diddymousedid’ are classics. oootini is right, black dog’s ‘bytes’ and plaid’s ‘trainer’ are great. i would also highly recommend the ‘tekkonkinkreet’ soundtrack if you can find it.
some interesting choices. no way would i have chosen ‘myopia’ and ‘manyme’. however, ‘dang spot’ and ‘diddymousedid’ are classics. oootini is right, black dog’s ‘bytes’ and plaid’s ‘trainer’ are great. i would also highly recommend the ‘tekkonkinkreet’ soundtrack if you can find it.
some interesting choices. no way would i have chosen ‘myopia’ and ‘manyme’. however, ‘dang spot’ and ‘diddymousedid’ are classics. oootini is right, black dog’s ‘bytes’ and plaid’s ‘trainer’ are great. i would also highly recommend the ‘tekkonkinkreet’ soundtrack if you can find it.
also hearing good things about the Tekkonkinkreet O.S.T. which plaid did. only available on import at the mo unfortunately. the film is being shown over the DEAF weekend…
also hearing good things about the Tekkonkinkreet O.S.T. which plaid did. only available on import at the mo unfortunately. the film is being shown over the DEAF weekend…
also hearing good things about the Tekkonkinkreet O.S.T. which plaid did. only available on import at the mo unfortunately. the film is being shown over the DEAF weekend…
I do love the Plaid. What about “New Family”, “Eyen” and “Sincetta” off Double Figure, or “Even Spring” off Spokes, or “Ralome”, “Dang Spot” and “Piano Pomo” off Rest Proof Clockwork? Tight as mice. The way they interlace melodies can be so affecting. It’s definitely influenced the way I make music. Gorgeous stuff. Hats of to Bob as well, the legend who does their visuals and as such is the 3rd member of Plaid.
New Family:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrVYzwXabAM
Piano Pomo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zNkBzdfqsk
Eyen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU5eR6OJNUc
I do love the Plaid. What about “New Family”, “Eyen” and “Sincetta” off Double Figure, or “Even Spring” off Spokes, or “Ralome”, “Dang Spot” and “Piano Pomo” off Rest Proof Clockwork? Tight as mice. The way they interlace melodies can be so affecting. It’s definitely influenced the way I make music. Gorgeous stuff. Hats of to Bob as well, the legend who does their visuals and as such is the 3rd member of Plaid.
New Family:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrVYzwXabAM
Piano Pomo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zNkBzdfqsk
Eyen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU5eR6OJNUc
I do love the Plaid. What about “New Family”, “Eyen” and “Sincetta” off Double Figure, or “Even Spring” off Spokes, or “Ralome”, “Dang Spot” and “Piano Pomo” off Rest Proof Clockwork? Tight as mice. The way they interlace melodies can be so affecting. It’s definitely influenced the way I make music. Gorgeous stuff. Hats of to Bob as well, the legend who does their visuals and as such is the 3rd member of Plaid.
New Family:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrVYzwXabAM
Piano Pomo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zNkBzdfqsk
Eyen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU5eR6OJNUc
Tekkonkinkreet on IFI tom at 12
Tekkonkinkreet on IFI tom at 12