ARTHUR LOVES PLASTIC – Give It CD A brand new album from the musician/mixer/producer and all-round talent that is Bev Stanton, with 12 tracks between three and five minutes each. Although it's a predominantly rhythmic album, the overall feel this time is of what they used to call “ambient” or “downtempo”. Running throughout the album, also, is a sea of melody as well as backdrops of cosmic bliss. But before you start to think that this is going to be some kind of one-dimensional offering, let me tell you that via a combination of samples, occasional guitars and keys and, most importantly, a layering process for which a number of textures, rhythms and melodies never stand still, this is a thoroughly satisfying album. Each track is like its own little soundworld – founded on a bed of propulsive rhythmic drive from electronic drums or programmed rhythms or samples, it's this that gives the tracks their solid feel and the neccesary strength. On top of this, the synths flow, drive, drift, soar, fly and gather strength to provide these wondrously infectious melodic compositions that have passion, purpose and an almost pop sensibility, yet their inventive arrangements and attention to absolute detail, ensure that you can listen to and enjoy every one, time after time after time. You only have to listen to “Do You Feel?” for an example of how it all comes together so seemingly effortlessly as a river of solid down tempo beats is balanced by this phased river of electronics, bursts of piano chords, an out of focus female vocal hook, rumbling bass drive and a sea of electronics that gives it depth and texture, the whole thing coming together to provide an almost hypnotic experience as you are inexorably hooked for the ride. “I Ain't Happy” has an almost Crystal Waters styled organ riff, but the dynamics of the track are built on a flow of solid percussive beats, buzzing ambient trance electronic undercurrents, the most gorgeously languid female vocal line, pseudo-brass synths, soaring strings and gradually this vastness of soundscapes is built up only to end abruptly before it segues right into the natural follow-on that is “The Right Way”, this time a more sharper, stuttering, faster beat from electronic percussives and bass is what propels the thing forward as a phased, treated vocal provides the chorus as hook, while other-worldly synths chime, ring and flow on top. More synth string textures are added to the mix as the track drives ahead in absolute downtempo perfection. From there on, across tempos of varied pace and consistent strength, with a multi-layered, eye-widening array of electronic, vocal and sampled textures, layers, melodies and soundscapes, the addictive individual tracks each provide a vital component of a whole that is nothing short of wondrous. “Searching For Love” is intense and really drives, its heady textures ranging from guitar scythes to flowing synth chords and hypnotic electronic refrains, as wordless and the occasional worded vocal come in and out of the mix. “Hurting Divinely” is the nearest that she gets to some of her stranger compositions of before as an almost brass band-like sample goes off against all manner of stomping beats, clattering percussives, swooping, soaring and bouncing synths and electronics, plus a couple of different female vocal layers to put the icing on the cake, all quite weird but also easy to get into and quite wonderful, too. Finally, we come to the only “real song” on the album, in this case the “ALP versus Paula Knight” remix of the track “Forbidden” from Paula's debut album “Wonder”. It's an infectious slice of pop leaving only Paula's original vocal from the album track and substituting the trademark ALP beats, layers and electronics for the original guitars, bass and drums of the original, the result being a totally glorious slice of downtempo dancefloor synth-pop that'll be in your head for hours after. Overall, a thoroughly superb album, one of her cosiest to date, and the perfect thing for a winter's night in or an evening with your best friend with this playing over the PA in your most atmospheric ambient wine bar. Andy Garibaldi (Dead Earnest) 11-09 www.deadearnest.btinternet.co.uk