Plant43 Three Dimensions
It's not that a month goes by without a CPU release; it's that with each month they deliver something remarkably high class.
The label's third release of 2019 is another double vinyl package gifting eight tracks that build on Emile Facey's 2013 and 2016 output. Calmer and warmer than much of CPU's 2018 releases, there are clear nods to Juan Atkins and, dare I say it, Kraftwerk throughout Three Dimensions. 'Neon Vista' kicks off with driving Motor City beats and Drexciyan bleeps that are soothed by rich, harmonious strings.
It just washes over you
The title track captures where electro is at in 2019, with an authentic homage to Atkins and his Model 500 incarnation. The more uptempo moments still retain that warmth and ensure the record has a completeness to it. It feels like it was recorded in one long session. 'Lo-res Dreams' and 'Disrupt & Disobey' are driving dancefloor workouts that bridge that gap between dancing and really absorbing music. It just washes over you.
'Check the Resolution' has a wide appeal that will grab the attention of traditional electronica fans and those in need of slow-motion builders for the start of a night. Inducing a hypnotic state, it's arguably the most understated CPU track of recent memory and deserves some serious airplay. 'Exoplanet Transmission' is up there with the likes of Pete Namlook and James Bernard as it soundtracks the night sky with rich arpeggiators and huge, reverberated stabs, creating a sci-fi finale to this spellbinding record.
Andy Tattersall
