I mentioned in the previous post that there had been some significant developments in the minimal world, and there is nothing more significant when it comes to minimal techno than Richie Hawtin's sinister production alter-ego, Plastikman. Minimal Monday will make a return soon, I promise, but when news broke that Plastikman's Kompilation CD had been released, a collection of the moniker's best tracks, without question I felt it deserved an independent post. Come on, it is Richieeeee after all.

Perhaps the most influential and controversial personality in the underground techno scene, Richie Hawtin created Plastikman in the early 90's in response to an epiphany he had about the progressive restrictions of the harder techno sounds more commonly associated with that era. What emerged was an almost schizophrenic other side to Richie, a geek who became obsessed with pushing the boundaries of electronic music's parameters and the limits of musical technology. Ever since, his live shows have been an experience of futuristic hedonism which have recently included Hawtin caged behind an o-zone of LED lights on -stage while he fiddles with an array of laptops, synthesizers, samplers and whole range of other equipment that only he knows how to navigate.

What he was playing was some of the darkest, most formidable minimal techno ever heard. This wasn't music to make you smile and groove gently too, like you would expect from the latin dons of minimal such as Villalobos or Luciano. This was music to rave to, keeping the intensity of old techno but reducing the BPM to make something stripped down and perhaps even more hedonistic. Tracks like Spastik, despite the rapid drum patterns throughout, is remarkable slow, and has now become one of the most iconic minimal anthems. Now all of Plastikman's most important productions have been assembled together on his Kompilation CD. It's an incredible collection of tracks, displaying why there is oh so much fuss about Richie Hawtin. It's an essential album to have, right from the shadowy acid-laced 11 minute opener Plasticine through to the hollow confines of its finale, Ask Yourself.

Plastikman - Helikopter