Xploding Plastix

Putting in a new album by the music project Xploding Plastix is always a bit of a mystery. Until you have listened to that particular album you never know exactly what you are going to get. The only thing you can be sure of is that it will be amazing.

Out of Norway, Exploding Plastix is a due comprised of Jens Petter Nilsen and Hallvard Wennersberg Hagen. They have quickly become one of my favorite discoveries. While I feel cheated for not being aware of this project for so long, I quickly made up for this by seeking out as much of their music as I could. With a discography composed of three LPs, five EPs, and their 2000 7" that started it all, there is plenty to hear. Their last release was their 2010 EP Devious Dan. However they are currently working on a new release that is expected to be out in December of this year.

Wikipedia describes them as "Electrofunk/Big beat music with elements of jazz". But even this broad label is woefully inadequate. And unless you just want to stick with the essentially meaningless label of 'Experimental' then you are better off just listening to them. But, as I stated in the beginning, this too does not adequately describe them as the sound varies immensely from album to album and even within a single album. This is not to say that listening to an album of theirs has a disjointed feeling as despite the variation within, the songs flow from one to the next wonderfully. This is so prevalent that to gain the full effect of their music, one must listen to an album from start to finish. This is quite easy with any Xploding Plastix album as it is so easy to get lost in an album that when the final song comes to its conclusion you hardly realize how much time has passed. In fact there have been many times where I've listened to a single album over and over (something I rarely do as I prefer variation if I can help it, which is something quite plentiful here) or even sit down and listen to all the albums I own, moving forward through their discography and wondering at the musical development in something that was so amazing from the very get go.

But as I said, one must hear Xploding Platix to truly appreciate their sound, so below to fold I have included videos from various points in their music career to show off their undeniable talent.


To start off, here is the first track from their first LP. Off of their 2001 album Amateur Girlfriends Go Proskirt Agents here is Sports, Not Heavy Crime:



Off of their third EP, The Benevolent Volume Lurkings comes their first video for the song "Joy Comes In The Morning". Many may consider the video 'trippy' but I find it to be much more then that. It is art, pure and simple.



From their second LP, The Donca Matic Singalongs, during the song The Snarling Amble they got together with Eek & Mouse for a bit of Scat:



And finally, from their most recent LP, Treated Timber Resists Rot is the track Kissed By A Kisser:



Now that I have infected a few of your with Xploding Plastix amazing sound, perhaps there shall be a few more awaiting their newest release as much as I am.