Ayria - Plastic Makes Perfect

I've always enjoyed Ayria albums. I love the way she fits words into her songs, which is not nearly as easy as it sounds. Phrasing can make the difference between good and bad tracks regardless of the music behind them. Ayria has had this talent pretty much covered over the years with meaningful, intelligent and clever lyrics. Add to that her music writing ability and it's hard to think of a bad Ayria album.

"Plastic Makes Perfect" is Ayria's 4th release and comes in a several different packages for the casual fan to the complete fan. 1, 2 or 3 CD packs, remix CD's, digital downloads and fan packs that include shirts, buttons, bags stickers, limited editions and more. With the albums production done by Komor Kommando and the aforementioned ability of Ayria, 'Plastic Makes Perfect' should be a good album.

Well, it isn't. It's a great album! Dare I say the finest release yet? Yes, yes I do. And what follows is why.

'Plastic Makes Perfect' starts with "Hunger" and plunges us into a bass line of minor distortion and a cleaner bassline over the top and then Ayria's vocals pop through the mix. The addition of incidental expanded sounds fill the track from beneath. "Big Plans" follows with, again the big bass sounds interrupted by cute high end melody.

"All That Glitters" brings the BPM down but is large in sound and larger in the chorus. "Games" has an 80's feel to it, with a fullness of sound that works extremely well as does the title track "Plastic Makes Perfect" that follows that has the best chorus of "I hate that I like you".

Track 6 "Missed The Mark" is a bassline/percussion track that is heavy on vocals and clever lyrics with a break in the middle that brings other sounds into the mix, but nothing overwhelming, then we are back into the vocals. Great track. "Box Under The Bed" slows us down again with a huge punch into a chorus full of guitar swings and overdubbed vocals and that chunky bassline.

20 seconds of clean kicks and echoed hi hats lead us into distorted noise and smack us into a big bassline and a track full of noise and anger that is "Friends And Enemies". "Three Months" follows the trend of big basslines and beautiful melody floating across the top.

"Big City Lullaby" is my favourite track on the album and the longest and has a vocal industrial trance feel to it which is amazing and of all the tracks on the album is one of two, that will take precedence in my DJ sets. Just fantastic. The last but one track "The New Style Of Riot" is another that gets added to my sets with precedence. It is big and bold as fuck and the vocals get the harsh treatment to give a real feel of complete chaos going on around you. Chunky bass, big beats and probably the most 'industrial' track on the album.

"Letter From An Angel" slows the BPM but is an intense, lyrically strong and dark, inner soul bared for all to see track, that closes the album with big slightly distorted basslines and heavy, heavy percussion. From here, you take a breath and then listen to the album again.

No doubt Seb Komor's production helps immensely but lyrically and vocally, Ayria has made leaps forward from her previous (already good) work. Her song writing and structure has done the same and if you have read this far, you will notice several phrases I've repeated, bass and percussion. The "Plastic Makes Perfect" title probably belies the sound and strength of this album. It is massive in sound, big basses, big percussion, big noise but not messy and convoluted. It's a clean sound meaning that you can hear everything that's going on and it doesn't need to be played extra loud to get the full sonic punch in the face. More than that, its not just big sounds with no substance.

In my promo copy, the sweet voice of Jennifer (Ayria herself no less) thanks me (and no doubt anyone else who has the promo version but let's concentrate on me for now) for listening to the Promo version of 'Plastic Makes Perfect'. You're welcome Jennifer.

Actually. Thank you!

I'm off to get the 3 CD pack. Nov 18 2013