Plaid - Feorm Falorx (out November 11th, 2022)

[Lianne]

On 11/10/2022 at 4:46 PM, fumi said:

After a first listen this feels plodding and unremarkable. The first track is classic stuff but (for me) it only really picks with 'Return to Return' and the excellent 'Tomason'. The others feel like B-sides or stuff they'd previously shelved.

It's okay but if you were expecting the beauty of 'Reach Prints' or 'The Digging Remedy' you may be disappointed.

Agree on all fronts, including the tracks that stand out to you. They’re beautiful, especially the opener, and I’d add C.A to your list. “Plodding and unremarkable” feels accurate for the rest though. I’m actually partial to some cute sci-fi synth “cheese”, but this doesn’t feel snappy or catchy enough to satisfy on that level. Also, it didn’t matter that many tracks stopped really building / seemed to finish early on their last releases, because the basic ideas were still so good despite the “slight” approach. But here they just feel short and noodle-ley. 
 

It’s a shame, as I was hyped for this and liked the surrounding imagery and context.

Still, as much as their recent stuff has gone down well for me, “Spokes” is my favourite, so maybe that has something to do with it. I mess that epic, detailed impressive darkness and element of surprise. So many seem to be making nicer and blander music these days.

 

[Bubba69]

Wow, I'm actually pretty into the direction they are going on this, this is catching me completely off guard and I like what it's doing. I'm glad it's got some space cheese

[Friendly Stranger]

Does anyone actually have the graphic novel in possession? I got a notice mine (w the record) wouldn’t ship until at least the 16th. I’m not saying you need to have the novel to “get” the album but it was meant to be a companion piece to the tunes so it probably does provide some context.

[fumi]

4 hours ago, Lianne said:

Agree on all fronts, including the tracks that stand out to you. They’re beautiful, especially the opener, and I’d add C.A to your list. “Plodding and unremarkable” feels accurate for the rest though. I’m actually partial to some cute sci-fi synth “cheese”, but this doesn’t feel snappy or catchy enough to satisfy on that level. Also, it didn’t matter that many tracks stopped really building / seemed to finish early on their last releases, because the basic ideas were still so good despite the “slight” approach. But here they just feel short and noodle-ley. 
 

It’s a shame, as I was hyped for this and liked the surrounding imagery and context.

Still, as much as their recent stuff has gone down well for me, “Spokes” is my favourite, so maybe that has something to do with it. I mess that epic, detailed impressive darkness and element of surprise. So many seem to be making nicer and blander music these days.

 

Having said all that. The whole thing is almost completely saved by 'Tomason' with its godly, off-kilter chord changes which have been their trademark since the beginning. They're still IDM masters.

Edited November 12, 2022 by fumi

[President Squidward]

okay i overreacted a little bit this is growing on me...

[ARPA]

Great fun, enjoying the shit out of this, makes me spin and clap my hands in the air!

[Pirtek]

I quite liked it!

[Extralife]

Yeah, I liked this on first listen.

[Pirtek]

Giving it a third listen now. I really like Nightcrawler.

[beerwolf]

15 hours ago, Friendly Stranger said:

This one is definitely checking some sci-fi cheese boxes so I can see how that might not work for everyone. 

[dcom]

Finally got around to listening, it's a Plaid album through-and-through, no doubt about it, but it didn't grab me the way some of their previous outings did. I'll give it time and more goes, though.

[hayhook]

https://thequietus.com/articles/32337-plaid-feorm-falorx-review

[WurstPLUS]

11 hours ago, fumi said:

Having said all that. The whole thing is almost completely saved by 'Tomason' with its godly, off-kilter chord changes which have been their trademark since the beginning. They're still IDM masters.

Tomason is a good representation of the album. What I hear there: Totally Plaid. But - too monotonous. Some twist, some nice interlude... it's lacking. Lacking inspiration? Feels like they sit at their DAW, no ideas present, do their standard business they practised for years, Tomason is born.

For me, the AI theme, Dall E, it is rather off-putting. Everyone and his grandma does it.

Edited November 12, 2022 by WurstPLUS

[thumbass]

This needs to sink in a bit more. I don't know what to think of it yet. I do want to say that hearing the garage band sounding ass trumpets at the start of Wondergan scared me.

[ARPA]

me doin' the Wondergan dance

[Rubin Farr]

dad plaid vibes 

[ARPA]

14 minutes ago, Rubin Farr said:

dad plaid vibes 

dude this looks like me!

[Friendly Stranger]

17 minutes ago, Rubin Farr said:

dad plaid vibes 

I’ve been listening to them for over 20 years and am now a dad so yea, this tracks. It is kinda dad plaid tbh but I’m here for it! 
 

honestly all these warp acts that Ive (and most of us) have been huge fans of are now in their 50s, so almost by default are falling into the dad idm genre. I’m good w it, I’m just glad they’re all still putting out music. 

[WurstPLUS]

Yo, I'm 50, but that's no excuse for wearing SUCH A WILDECKER HERZBUBEN FAN SHIRT ^^

Being "old" brought me to the conclusion that there's not much progress in mainstream music. Confield is still modern and otherwordly, people listen to really easy stupid trap, or techno which just sounds as crappy as it sounded in the 90s.

Edited November 12, 2022 by WurstPLUS

[Lianne]

One track I underrated on early listens to sure is the closer, Wide I's. It's very cool and relentless in a good way - makes you pay attention.

[ARPA]

2 hours ago, WurstPLUS said:

Yo, I'm 50, but that's no excuse for wearing SUCH A WILDECKER HERZBUBEN FAN SHIRT ^^

Being "old" brought me to the conclusion that there's not much progress in mainstream music. Confield is still modern and otherwordly, people listen to really easy stupid trap, or techno which just sounds as crappy as it sounded in the 90s.

I don't see the problem  

[beerwolf]

5 hours ago, Friendly Stranger said:

I’ve been listening to them for over 20 years and am now a dad so yea, this tracks. It is kinda dad plaid tbh but I’m here for it! 
 

honestly all these warp acts that Ive (and most of us) have been huge fans of are now in their 50s, so almost by default are falling into the dad idm genre. I’m good w it, I’m just glad they’re all still putting out music. 

Always the purveyor of words of calm, sober wisdom.

Friendly Stranger please don’t ever leave watmm ()

Edited November 12, 2022 by beerwolf

[Friendly Stranger]

1 hour ago, beerwolf said:

Always the purveyor of words of calm, sober wisdom.

Friendly Stranger please don’t ever leave watmm ()

As long as the music stays, I stay!

[cloud capture]

10 hours ago, ARPA said:

me doin' the Wondergan dance

I'm loving the album, but this is the one track that was jarring on first listen.  After a couple listens I'm getting the house band in a seedy cantina on Tatooine vibes.  

[thumbass]

I like the album but it didn't end up wowing me at all. It sounds like Plaid which is never a bad thing, but I do think it's actually their least experimental album to date despite the concept behind it. It's solid though.