Classics

The album title may not leave much to the imagination, but the best of Plus 8 proves that, during its seven-year existence [from 1990 to 1997] Hawtin and Acquaviva’s label pushed the boundaries of techno more than arguably any other imprint. After all, it was Plus 8 who gave artists like Speedy J, Jon Selway, Kenny Larkin and the multi-faceted talent of label co-owner Richie Hawtin the forum to release their envelope-expanding sonic adventures. Apart from containing ‘Loop’ by FUSE vs. LFO and ‘At First Light’ by Sysex, two of the best techno records ever released, the sheer range of styles and sounds in ‘Classics’ is also breath taking; Speedy J shifting gears radically from the funky, percussive techno evident on ‘Evolution’ to the crackling white noise of ‘Patterns’ the gateway to his subsequently abstract direction and Hawtin moving from dreamy, electronic ambient – ‘Dimension Intrusion’ – into the looped skeletal genius of ‘Spastik’ as Plastikman into the wild, freaky, overdose referencing 303 wig out of ‘Substance Abuse’. The most futuristic of all electronic music forms, techno should never be narrowly defined, something Plus 8 understood and practiced for seven glorious years, reason alone to listen again to Plus 8’s future changing catalogue.