Rest Proof Clockwork

Rest Proof Clockwork

British music rag <i>NME</i> once dubbed Black Dog "the most revered techno outfit since Kraftwerk." After Ed Handley and Andy Turner disbanded Black Dog in 1995, they began recording under the name Plaid. While <i>Not for Threes</i> was overshadowed by the ghost of Black Dog, Plaid's sophomore outing, <i>Rest Proof Clockwork</i>, shows a slightly matured sound. Both albums were recorded for Plaid's home-base label, the techno-pioneering Warp, and though often filed under "intelligent dance music," their sound is less fitting in the clubs than in one's living room. Many of the tracks here have a playful, childlike quality ("Dang Spots"), while others recall the retro, switched-on sound of Wendy Carlos's soundtrack to <i>A Clockwork Orange</i> ("Lambs Eye"). A must-have for anyone seeking to expand their techno horizons. <i>--Courtney Reimer</i>