Pluxus

Swedish outfit Pluxus (pronounced Plook-suss) extract playful pop from their synthesisers, drawing on old-school computer games, cartoon themes and mobile-phone keypad tones. Originally a lo-fi guitar band, the group turned to synths around 1997, when Adam Kammerland (b. 27 February 1977, Stockholm, Sweden), Sebastian Tesch (b. 22 March 1977, Stockholm, Sweden) and Björn Carlberg (b. 30 July 1978, Stockholm, Sweden) began capturing tracks in their Pluxemburg studio. Their debut, the cassette Music Inspired By The Architecture Of Kennedy International Airport, was followed by Fas 2 and Och Resan Fortsätter Här (Here The Journey Continues), the latter two featuring Anders Ekërt (b. 13 October 1976, Stockholm, Sweden) as a permanent member. Although much of their output remains cute, cheesy and saccharine, the quartet sometimes favours darker territory, shaping the electronic pulses of “Molltolerans” (from European Onion) into music that feels both poignant and eerie. Frequently viewed as analogue purists, they insist they will use any gear, “analogue, digital, swimming or flying, which can produce a good sound.” When playing or recording live they deliberately allow small imperfections to colour the results, favouring a light-hearted approach over the studied artifice common in much electronica. Reviews of their shows have noted near-comical moments of performers tumbling across the stage. They also keep their distance from Sweden’s dance-music circles, which they consider “too much DJs and obscure record collections.”