Fantastic Plastic Machine

Music Reviews • October 16, 1998January 3, 2023

Fantastic Plastic Machine, the musical project of Tokyo DJ Tomoyuki Tanaka, participates in a global electronic musical realm where styles are blended, swapped, and juxtaposed into an often wacky mix. Yes, this is fun music. Bossa nova, soft rock, cheesy Moog records, mod ’60s Euro-pop, and space-age bachelor pad music are recycled and turned into contemporary, sophisticated, international pop. Many songs practically require frantic go-go dancing. Others, such as the drum-n-bass version of “Steppin’ Out” (yeah, the Joe Jackson tune) inspire disbelief that something so fresh came from a lite-rock-less-talk staple. With vocals on some tracks provided by Pizzicato Five’s Maki Nomiya and members of the “electro-loungecore” band, the Gentle People, FPM increases the snappiness of the songs. Check this one out to bring your fantasies of being an international musical sensation of the swinging universe to life. Emperor Norton Records, 102 Robinson St., Los Angeles, CA 90026; http://www.emperornorton.com

Matthew Schaefer

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