In the summer of 2026, synth pop act Oui Plastique shared ‘Linger’, a single which straddled a cold mood and a melodic heart, making no secret of a love for early 80s Ultravox. As a preview of an upcoming album, it was hugely effective, presenting a very familiar sound in such a way that any obvious recycling – both from the band’s influences and their own past recordings – felt as if it could still be inspiring.
The follow up release, ‘Spirit’, is a little less accessible. This is partly due to its sprawling nature – the recording stretches to almost six minutes – but also down to a much bleaker feel that permeates the track. This is clear from the off, when slightly abrasive beats cut through sampled voices bringing an industrial feel. There’s a little respite when some bell-like keys add a striking melody that’s pure Oui Plastique, but this doesn’t hang around. Instead, the decision is made to drop the listener into a landscape where the beats dominate and a darker than usual vocal cuts through everything with a croon that wouldn’t normally be a typical fit for synth based material.
Somewhere around the middle of the second verse, though, chances are that your ears will begin to adjust: the bass elements that sit beneath the beats add a lot of atmosphere, and the slow tempo should begin to pull you in. This allows the return of the chorus to sound stronger, and by bringing in a few harmony vocals, the maudlin melody not only shines a little more brightly, but shares something that feels just a little closer in spirit to ‘Linger’. Make no mistake, though, this isn’t especially catchy: even at its melodic peak, ‘Spirit’ asks a lot more of the listener, requiring full concentration and multiple listens before it really works. Maybe this is actually a good thing; sometimes time will bring out hidden depths to a recording, and its likely to be the case here. Whichever way you look at it, though, this isn’t necessarily an obvious choice for a pre-release single.
Those investing in the digital download of ‘Spirit’ will also get an extra treat with Oui Plastique putting their own spin on the theme to the 60s TV show ‘The Persuaders’. Britpop fans will know this John Barry composition very well indeed, due to My Life Story using it for a number of years as their intro tape at live shows, but in the hands of this synth based duo, the familiar tune takes on a very different presence. Naturally, the orchestral elements have been replaced with a brighter pulse that offers the basis of something that sounds like one of Chris Lowe’s b-sides circa 1987, but that actually compliments the main melody which retains its uplifting edge, even when replicated through some deliberately retro synth tones. For the synth-based arrangement, Roy Budd’s ‘Get Carter’ would obviously be a more obvious fit, but if the “A-side” to this digital two-fer is any indication, Oui Plastique really aren’t keen on taking the easy route…and more power to them for that.
When played in conjunction with a few previously released Oui Plastique recordings, these tracks work a little more effectively, but for the more patient synth pop buff, they should still provide a more than interesting listening experience.
September 2026