Plastikman^CA

Plastikman is the most famous project of Richie Hawtin. The project began after Hawtin had reached acclaim under various monikers including FUSE, and Elements of Tone. The first Plastikman record, the Sheet One album (Plus 8/Novamute), was released in 1993 and quickly developed a following among audiences interested by its convolutions and distortions of electronic music paradigms as well as followers of the development of Detroit techno. The sound was heavily focused on the Roland TB303, which Hawtin had modified and used in unexpected ways. Also elemental to the experience of the music were the events Hawtin and his colleagues would stage in Windsor, Toronto and Detroit. Hawtin's live performances have involved elaborate installations, ambitious uses of technology, lighting, etc. This continued through the 1990s and created a rabid following, inspiring a number of fans to actually tattoo the project's alien-styled logo on various places on their bodies. As Plastikman grew in notoriety, so did Hawtin's other ventures. After becoming a highly successful DJ, as well as releasing records under various other pseudonyms, starting another label and other business ventures, Hawtin reopened the Plastikman project in 2003. Mixing the minimalism, moodiness and rhythmic complexity that defined the moniker with influences from many of the artists Hawtin himself has influenced, the latest album ushers in a renewed attention to the innovative energy of Plastikman's early days. Plastikman Live 2004 maintains this energy and innovation by taking the standard for electronic music performance and twisting it into a whole new shape.