That’s not how anyone plays. I checked. Seriously, I was looking for all possible ways – there are no musicians in the world who would even come close to Xploding Plastix in sound. Sometimes Jaga Jazzist may succeed, but it’s still not the same. Someone told me that Fuck Buttons also play similarly, but I think he was joking, because it’s a blatant lie.
Xploding Plastix make music for films that have never been made. Alternatively, for Atari or Commodore games, which no one has ever written. Tracks such as Joy Comes In The Morning and The Cave In Proper (both from The Donca Matic Singalongs album) are the best evidence.
They come from Oslo, and Norwegians have a rather specific sense of musical aesthetics. Their work is a mixture of big beat, electrofunk, acid jazz, endless imagination, melodiousness, which should be sought in concentration, because sometimes it is not there at all and jokes that perfectly fit into quite serious songs. In one of the interviews they said that they do not think they play jazz at all, because they are too distracted by all the possibilities that music gives them. They also compare themselves to Warhol. And that’s probably the best description of what they’re playing.
There is a rumor on the Internet that 24 hours passed between sending the demo and the moment the two entered the studio. To what extent this is true, the fact is that their first single, Treat Me Mean, I Need The Reputation (my absolute favorite and one of the 20 pieces of life) immediately gained the title of a classic.
Jens Petter Nilsen and Hallvard Wennersberg Hagen have released three LPs: Amateur Girlfriend Go, Proskirt Agents (2001), The Donca Matic Singalongs (2003) and Treated Timber Resists Rot (2008) and each of them is different. In addition, a few EPs, cooperation with the Kronos Quartet, music for short films (so someone made them!) and they have not played concerts since time immemorial. On their official website you can find only laconic information that they decided to take a break from the stage. It’s a shame because it’s one of those must-see teams on my list.