DE9: Closer to the Edit
Detroit's Richie Hawtin, a.k.a.Plastikman, has become the edgy king of minimalist techno. In 1999 the massively influentialDecks, EFX & 909showcased his explosive talent for improvisation and beat structure while blowing through an impressive array of tracks with his driving, impossibly effective rhythms. Hawtin'sDe9: Closer to the Editis another mind-blower and a full-on test of dance music's latest thrust: the mixing of analog and digital sound. The technology at work here, known as Final Scratch, allows for a wider infusion of source material; Hawtin uses it to sample, cut, and splice together over 70 songs, with an array of effects and overdubs as the glue. Besides the studio innovation at work,Editalso features a relatively melodic approach, along with an astonishing sense of pace and patience. Hawtin throws in pieces ofTheorem,Steve Bug, andCarl Craig, amid little chunks of his own material, to create a sound that's elusive, surprising, and filled with the sort of cadences that render the Sunday morning dawn utterly insignificant. Most significantly, there's a playful persona at work here, cracking through Hawtin's relentless attack and making for a record that will please longtime fans and new recruits alike.--Matthew Cooke