Rest Proof Clockwork

British music rag NME once dubbed Black Dog "the most revered techno outfit since Kraftwerk." After Ed Handley and Andy Turner disbanded Black Dog in 1995, they began recording under the name Plaid. While Not for Threes was overshadowed by the ghost of Black Dog, Plaid's sophomore outing, Rest Proof Clockwork, shows a slightly matured sound. Both albums were recorded for Plaid's home-base label, the techno-pioneering Warp, and though often filed under "intelligent dance music," their sound is less fitting in the clubs than in one's living room. Many of the tracks here have a playful, childlike quality ("Dang Spots"), while others recall the retro, switched-on sound of Wendy Carlos's soundtrack to A Clockwork Orange ("Lambs Eye"). A must-have for anyone seeking to expand their techno horizons. --Courtney Reimer