Solid State

PLUXUS: Solid State CD (KOMP 065 CD). RELEASE DATE: 05/27/2008 Sweden's Pluxus originally self-released Solid State in 2006. Upon first hearing it, DJ and co-owner of the Kompakt label, Michael Mayer, was immediately captivated by their inventive ways of veering away from the systematic approach typically taken with techno music. Sebastian Tesch, Adam Kammerland and Anders Ekert formed Pluxus back in 1998, when the Swedish electronic scene was comprised of dull, uniform club music or introverted art music. Influenced by Devo, Jean Jacques Perrey and Kraftwerk through Aphex Twin and Matmos, they set out to tell a very different tale by trading in their traditional instruments for vintage synths, computers and a sampler: thus, Pluxus began to emit a blend of cuddly instrumental electro-pop. Three years of evolution later, the band turned away from their kiddish approach to a more varied and deeper style of creation: Solid State. Banjos strum over rollover breaks and beats with Transient, a romantic French flair permeates Perm, and Contact emits a techno-fied ruckus. There's also two early Aphex-inspired lullabies, Solid State and Slow Peel. It's high time that Pluxus get their solid due.