Hailing from Cardiff, Wales, Plastic Estate is the latest addition to the city’s vibrant local music scene. Formed by Nicholas James and Stanley Fouracres, the duo quickly made their mark with their blend of new wave, synth-pop, and indie influences. They debuted with a series of digital singles in 2019 and have shared the stage with renowned acts like The Murder Capital, M!R!M, Josiah Konder, and The Love Coffin, capturing the attention of audiences at events such as the Sŵn Festival.
Their debut physical release, This Place, a 7-inch vinyl and digital single, showcases Plastic Estate’s ability to draw from the timeless sounds of the UK’s 80s new wave icons like Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen, and Prefab Sprout, while still sounding fresh and modern. Their music strikes a perfect balance between electronic dance elements and acoustic instruments, combining upbeat pop melodies with darker, more melancholic lyrics. This contrast creates a sophisticated yet breezy atmosphere, making their sound both nostalgic and contemporary.
Hello both! It’s great to have you with us. Could you start by introducing yourself?
NJ: Thanks for having us! We’re a synth-pop/electronic duo based in Cardiff, Wales.
How did your project start, and how did you become part of the label? What’s the story behind it?
SF: We bumped into each other on a night out after a mutual friend mentioned Nic was starting a band, and agreed to meet up after an intoxicated chat. I was living in a dingy flat above a club in the center of Cardiff, and it had so many issues that the letting agent moved us a floor down to another flat in the building. I kept my studio equipment in the flat above, which really felt like living the dream at the time. After a couple of studio sessions, we quite quickly settled on the first ‘Plastic Estate’ sound. Those first unreleased demos have reached a kind of legendary status between us.
NJ: We first connected through a mutual appreciation for producer, Martin Hannett from the Factory Records era. We’ve since spent years using his ethos of experimentation, ensuring we don’t confine ourselves to specific styles or sounds and always trying something new. We shared some of these experiments with Andrea Napoli at Avant! Records back in 2019, and the rest is history.
Your sophomore album, ‘Code d’Amour,’ marks a shift towards a brighter, more polished sound compared to your earlier work. What inspired this change in direction, and how do you feel it reflects your evolution as a band?
NJ: Our earlier output had a darker disposition, which was an immediate response to the never-ending negativity we’re all exposed to on our screens every day. Now, I feel it necessary to counter that and create a sense of positivity, or even escapism in our music.
I no longer need to reflect that melancholia back out into the world – Bring the good times.
The album draws influence from the ‘Hi-Fi luxury’ of the West Coast Sound and 2010s Chillwave. Can you share specific artists or experiences that have shaped these influences for you?
SF: I probably bring more of the chillwave element to our sound, which I’d say started in the last year of secondary school when a friend showed me the first two albums by Neon Indian. After that it was artists like Small Black, Washed Out, Giraffage, Toro y Moi, Slow Magic, and Com Truise… from that point, the genre was huge for me despite coming in near the end of it’s rein. We’d travel from Cornwall, England (where I’m from) to London to see Chillwave acts from the US, which took around 8 hours on the bus. Devotion. In terms of what I like about the genre, I think something is fascinating about taking something completely artificial and giving it expression, making it sound organic and human – the first Neon Indian record is a great example of that.
NJ: More than anything, it’s the atmosphere and understated elegance that acts like Michael McDonald exude in their music. His music is quite reserved in its nature and only fully ‘reveals itself’ to patient listeners. Sade is another act that does this so beautifully. It’s often music designed for quieter, subdued moments, and we had a lot of those through the pandemic – probably a big factor in my love for it.
You’ve shared the stage with bands like LA Priest, Home Counties, and Real Lies. How have these live performances shaped you as a musician, and what do you enjoy most about performing live?
SF: I think generally playing live has really helped me let go of things, and come to terms with the fact that not everything can be controlled. I really enjoy seeing the other bands, and we’ve been fortunate to play with bands that have been influential to us. Also, nothing beats the feeling of trying out some unreleased material and it goes down well, and members of the audience come over afterward to say they connected with us.
If you could curate your dream stage lineup, who would you choose and why?
SF: Right now it would be the bands around the world that don’t tend to come to the UK (or aren’t active): Paradise Club, Small Black, Junior Boys, Paradis.
NJ: Sade, Mk.gee, Choir Boy – there wouldn’t be a dry eye in the house.
Our magazine is also based in Asia. What are your thoughts on this part of the world?
SF: I’ve never been there, so my view is just based on media and what people have told me, which is where the best opinions are made. It’s such a diverse and culturally rich continent I wouldn’t want to give my uneducated view in a few sentences.
NJ: My bank balance has not allowed me the pleasure of visiting any part of the continent yet – but very much keen to visit. I have a real love for Chinese and Japanese Architecture, the cuisine too. We do have listeners in a number of countries across the continent so maybe a tour someday? Who knows.
If you could share your ten favorite tracks from this year so far, what would they be?
SF: We’ve been so busy this year and haven’t had as much/any time as I normally would to check out new releases, but I like these tracks so far:
KETTAMA, Real Lies – Purple Hearts
Amery – Hotwire The Nite
Pet Shop Boys – Loneliness
clipping. – Run It
Also, the music video for Jessica 2010 – Posted is absolutely insane.
NJ:
Mg.kee – Lonely Fight
Fabiana Palladino – I Can’t Dream Anymore
Croatian Amor, Scandinavian Star, School of X – New Healer
Bleachers – Isimo
Future Islands – The Tower
Chromas – The Way Things Go
Porij – Ghost
LYLO – Hush
Still Ruins – Silhouette
Plastic Estate – Stay
What does The future look like for Plastic Estate ?
SF: Something like the future wars scenes from Terminator I’d imagine. We’ve got some cool gigs booked which will tie the year up nicely.
NJ: I second that – Terminator mode engaged. New shows, new music, new year, new PE.
Follow PLASTIC ESTATE & AVANT RECORDS
‘Code d’Amour’ is out October 11th on Total Clear Vinyl Ltd to 500 and Digital.
ORDER HERE
—-
more music features here
Get our latest print 350page + book
