Plaid are electronic music royalty, even more so now that they have reached their tenth studio album with the minimum of fuss. They have always scored highly by not taking themselves too seriously, and by incorporating the sounds and feelings of England in a sense that recalls some of the best folk music innovations of the early 1970s. That much is in evidence from album opener ‘OH’, which uses a mandolin to great effect, but also in the offbeat quirks and bumpy loops in which Plaid apply their considerable skill and charm. Here their sound is beautifully open, and on tracks like ‘Nafovanny’ a starry-eyed quality comes to the fore – not to mention the grace and poise they maintain on the curiously titled ‘Wallet’. Plaid remain an enduring treasure, and on the evidence of Reachy Prints are still right at the top of their game.
5 out of 5
Reviewed By Ben Hogwood
