- If you've been keeping an eye on those 'summer anthems' threads popping up on various message boards, you'll probably be familiar with 'Plastik' by now. The track first surfaced on CDR last January, with limited (and lovely) clear vinyl 12"s following in March. The plan was to keep it as anonymous as possible and create a bit of a stir – and producer Simon Baker certainly managed that, with DJs as diverse (or should that be similar? I just don't know anymore) as Nic Fanciulli and Sven Vath playing it constantly for the past few months.
But enough about strategic marketing. 'Plastik' is a surprisingly simple record, but that's what makes it work. It's about the groove and attention to detail. Centred around an elastic, undulating, Carl Craig-aping synth riff that twists it way though the track, it takes its time: the bassline doesn't arrive until two and a minutes in, but at that stage, the hook has you hooked. Spread evenly over nine minutes, this is a cool, confident track: builds and breaks are supplemented by subtle, rolling hats, a tidy off-beat percussive clangs and wandering washes in the drops.
Over in b-side land, 'Jitters' feels aptly named: the jumpy, hissing percussion and hyperactive Detroity synth squelch make for an uneasy but effective electronic house workout: it's 'Plastik''s leaner, uglier sister. Playhouse gives this record a full release on June 11 – expect to be almost ubiquitous by the end of the summer. This is a good thing.
TracklistA Plastik
B Jitters