I don't remember seeing much talk about *Artifakts (bc)* by Plastikman
when it was released, so I thought I'd share my review. (It and many
reviews along a similar vein are available on my Web site, Crossfade, at
www.ithaca.edu/shp/shp99/jarnold1/.)
I'm a big Plastikman fan. It's true. In fact, *Musik* is one of my
favorite albums. Needless to say, when I heard Richie Hawtin (the man
behind Plastikman) was releasing an album meant to be a follow-up to
*Musik*, I was excited. Sure enough, *Artifakts (bc)* is a great album,
but it isn't as funky as its predecessors. Also, it isn't as cohesive--it
feels like a collection of tracks which should have been singles. The
first half of *Artifakts* is reminiscent of the *Consumed* LP. Deep,
thrumming basslines underscore hypnotic, swirling electronic voices. The
melodies are subtle and slow to build in typical Plastikman style. Some
of Hawtin's techniques have a Steve Reich feel to them. It's good--very
good, but we've heard it before. If you like Hawtin's minimalist
aesthetic, as I do, you will want to grab this album, but don't expect it
to be innovative. It's the same Plastikman groove you know and love. Why
does it leave me craving for something more? Perhaps because I like the
direction Hawtin was taking in *Consumed*. I don't want to dwell on the
past--I want Hawtin to move forward.
Jacob Arnold