Plus Minus by Zap Ringo & Nobby Uno: A Raw Acid Techno Beast from '95 That Still Kicks Ass
Alright, let’s cut the crap. If you’re into techno and acid sounds that slap harder than your morning alarm clock, Plus Minus is gonna wreck your brain in all the right ways. Released back in ‘95 via Tape Records (yeah, cassette vibes, baby), this album doesn’t mess around. It’s dirty, raw, and unapologetically aggressive—like someone took a sledgehammer to a Roland TB-303 just for kicks.
First off, props to Zap on production duties because dude knew how to squeeze every ounce of chaos out of those machines. The whole thing slaps, but two tracks really stuck with me like gum under my shoe: "Testone" and "Swat."
“Testone” hits like a freight train running on nitro fuel. You can practically feel the electricity crackling through your headphones as it ramps up. That relentless bassline? Pure filth. Like, I swear my neighbors thought I was throwing an illegal rave at 3 AM when this came on shuffle. It’s hypnotic yet brutal—the kind of track that makes you wanna punch walls but also dance until your feet bleed. Unforgettable.
Then there’s “Swat,” which is basically sonic warfare wrapped in six minutes of pure adrenaline. The beat punches so hard it feels like it could knock out Mike Tyson in his prime. There’s something about the way the synths spiral outta control—it’s disorienting, wild, borderline unhinged—but damn if it doesn’t grab hold of you and refuse to let go. This isn’t background music; it’s front-and-center insanity designed to make your heart race.
The other tracks ain’t slouches either. “Plus” and “Minus” set the tone perfectly, while “Changes” adds a weirdly reflective vibe amidst all the madness. But honestly? It’s the sheer unpredictability of the whole record that keeps me coming back. One second you’re vibing, the next you’re questioning whether your speakers are about to explode. That’s the magic of Plus Minus.
Here’s the kicker though—listening to this album now feels almost... prophetic? Like, these guys were ahead of their time, dropping acid-soaked bangers before most people even owned computers. And yeah, maybe it’s not perfect—some parts sound kinda dated, sure—but who cares? Perfection’s overrated anyway. What matters is the raw energy, the balls-to-the-wall attitude that screams, “We don’t give a fuck what you think.”
So here’s my final thought: If aliens ever invade Earth and ask us to explain human creativity, play them Plus Minus. Either they’ll dig it and leave us alone, or they’ll blast us into oblivion for making such chaotic noise. Either way, win-win, right?
