I am the hottest I have ever been. Not to bitch about it or anything. Actually, I think I am gonna bitch about it. In Chicago today, it was a murderous 98 degrees (heat index at 112), which I'm sure is nothing compared to... say... some African regions. However, as I type this, I have two large fans pointed directly at my luscious, naked body, and sweat is still-- quite literally-- dripping off my shapely 5'9" frame.

Or perhaps it's the fact that I can't stop dancing to Plaid's surprisingly funky Peel Session EP. Plaid released a terrific album on Warp (distributed by Trent Reznor's Nothing/Interscope label in the U.S.) last year entitled Not for Threes. I grooved on that album's ambient electronic mayhem and speedy, atmospheric drum-n-bass-- its sound was almost orchestral, bringing to mind visions of wide, open spaces and uncharted northern regions.

This time around, Plaid go haywire. The record opens with the dancy, piano- based "Scoobs," a track that should have even the clumsiest clubhopper bumpin' an' glidin' with the best of 'em. The melody, a fine blend of modern disco, jungle breakz and slippery keyboard tones, reminds me of my days spent strung out on E and tabs of acid in Ibiza. ...Okay, so I've never even been out of the country. But I can pretend. After all, when you're confined to these barrio streets for lack of any expendable cash, a dream is your best pal.

"Eph" is a bit more moody, laying a tinny, reverberatin' harpsichord line over a dark and haunting "Risky Business"- era Tangerine Dream- style throwdown. "Bo Bootch" gives us a rugged, slo- motion hip-hop beat and some sexy, organic organ riffs. And the closer, the simply titled "Cold," offers up a steamy dish of pure Autechre- influenced rhythm.

It's hard to know where Plaid's excursions will take them next, so I can't say yet whether this is a decent introduction to the band's sound. Not for Threes, as I previously stated, is an entirely different affair, so we can only wait and see what the future brings. In the meantime, you Plaid fans should grab hold of this disc just to see what craziness they've worked out.

-Ryan Schreiber