DMAN's VERY official top 10 Plaid songs

[dmandagiraffe]

You know the drill. Another KN request, another top 10 songs list for the king. Happy not birthday @President Squidward!

Anyways yeah Plaid are pretty dope. For the past however many years I've been listening to random electronic and IDM stuff, I've always had a soft spot for them. While I don't revisit their stuff too often nowadays, whenever I put on one of their albums I realize that I forgot how good their shit can be at times. So let's talk about that good shit, specifically 10 pieces of it. WEEEEEEEEE

DMAN'S top 10 Plaid songs (not subject to change)

Spoiler

10. "Wallet"
I've always noticed people don't give Reachy Prints enough credit, especially with this song in particular. There's a huge nostalgic vibe going for it (very much helped by the video), and that constant descending three-note motif is never going to leave my head. It reminds me a lot of a certain other IDM act...hm. Amazing song from one of their best albums.

Spoiler

 

9. "Maru"
So naturally, let's follow up a laidback song with one that goes straight for the jugular. The first time I listened to Polymer I knew right away that this one was my favorite. It goes hard, that's the easiest way to put it. I could play that sample that goes on through the whole song in my head all day and still not get sick of it. Even Orbital's remix of it is so good that it probably would've been the best song on the album they released the previous year (granted, not that high a bar). Still, the base song is a jam. 

Spoiler

 

8. "Founded"

THE GUITAR ON THIS IS SO GOOD OMG. Mix that in with the nonsense vocals and the occasionally harder going sections and you get one of my favorite songs of theirs. There's not too much to this one and it ends unsatisfyingly quickly, but the three minutes we do get are ones that I always look forward to whenever I give Scintilli a spin. 

Spoiler

7. "Gel Lab"

Now we're getting into the really good stuff. Let's get this out of the way: the section that starts just before the three-minute mark is incredible. The rest of the song is great too, but once the tempo speeds itself up and those melodies eventually come in I know I'm in for a treat. When it comes to their albums I tend to leave Rest Proof Clockwork by the wayside (sorry Prez), but this is a song that's always a delight to revisit out of context.

Spoiler

 

6. "Kortisin"
Here's an example of a track that greatly grew on me with time. On first listen of Not for Threes I considered it an 8/10, eventually a 9, now a 10. This is that goofy spirit of theirs on full display, with the tune to back it up. That weird squeaking noise doesn't deserve to be as catchy as it is. I've even tried mimicking it on occasion, god save me. Yeah this one's good.

Spoiler

 

5. "E.M.R."
SURPRISE, it's a Greedy Baby appearance! Fuck all haters this song is one of the most impressive things they've ever made. The way every element slowly builds up, new melodies are added, the TIME SIGNATURE CHANGES, that huge section halfway through, holy shit how did they do that. It's one hell of a ride of a track, and it's the centerpiece of one of their most overlooked works as a whole. If you hate Greedy Baby we can't be friends Sorry!

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4. "At Last"
This is their best album closer, hands down. What a whimsical, happy song to go out on, accompanied by what I consider to be their best music video. The boys saved the planet from the weird rotary fan guy, woohoo! But yeah, the way this song slowly builds up on its elements just like the last one rules. Wish they would go out with songs like this more often.

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3. "Even Spring"
A shocking amount of people seem to only like the intro to this song. While that part is indeed beautiful, I must say they are missing the fuck out. This thing goes absolutely wild about two minutes in, and climaxes gloriously with some of the finest melodies and percussions they've ever made. It's a fantastic intro to another one of their most underappreciated albums. You can trust me, Spokes is the one album of theirs I have on CD!

Spoiler

 

2. "Slam"
Based. That is always going to be the first word that comes to my mind when I hear the intro of this song. Fucking. BASED. This isn't one of the flashier songs in their discography, but that 3/4 groove cannot be undersold. The consistent slapping of that drum, the plinky plonky melody, the bassy notes in the back, the ghostly pads that come in later, it all works. What a damn song. Based.

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Oh yeah, here's some honorable mentions in no particular order before the #1. Uh...there's a lot of them.

"Saladore"

 

"Tender Hooks"

 

"Last Remembered Thing"

 

"Headspin"

 

"Porn Coconut Co"

 

"Tether"

 

"Marry"

 

 

"Thank"

 

"Eyen"

 

"Angry Dolphin"

Spoiler

1. "New Family"
Yes, I'm letting nostalgia dictate this one, but even then I think this is worthy of the top spot. When I first heard this song from the pong game in LBP2, it was the most hype shit ever. We played that level so many times that the first part of this song is permanently drilled into my head. It certainly helps that the rest of this song is incredible too. The crazy, somewhat odd percussion and the melody once again combine to make something that I'm always ready to come back to. Double Figure rules. Don't debate me I'm right

Spoiler

0. "Wondergan"
Plaid is a ripoff of Boards of Canada and Aphex Twin and Autechre and Squarepusher and µ-Ziq and Amon Tobin and Seefeel and Mouse on Mars and Wagon Christ and Tim Hecker and Telefon Tel Aviv and Ilkae and Proem and Bola and Jega and LFO and Clark and Two Lone Swordsmen and Referencered and The Black Dog and especially Yimino. 

[President Squidward]

i hate plaid so much

[President Squidward]

Such an amazing, agreeable list. Koritsin, Gel Lab and New Family might be ones that aren't on my list but are still good