Plastic Dreams

"Plastic Dreams" is a 1992 song recorded by Dutch dance producer Jaydee. It was the artist's debut single and remains generally considered to be one of the classics of the house music genre (initially released on R&S Records). It was successful in European countries and also achieved success in the U.S, where it topped the Billboard charts in two different categories. American music critic Robert Christgau named it the best single of 1993 in his year-end list for the Pazz & Jop critics poll.

Song information

The song, an instrumental, features a prominent Hammond organ style synthesizer melody played in a jazzy, improvised manner. With some versions ten minutes long, the number is known for giving dancers a good aerobic workout.

In 1993, "Plastic Dreams" hit number-one on the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The song continues to be remixed and re-released today by many artists, such as David Morales, mostly on unsolicited White labels. The track has made the British charts on more than one occasion, first in September 1997 when it reached number 18 and again in January 2004 when it reached number 35. In 1993, Epic Records (owned by Sony Music Entertainment) featured the song on the first edition of the compilation "Welcome to the Future". Shortly after, Epic Records negotiated the acquisition of most rights associated with the song.

Plastic Dreams (album)

Plastic Dreams is an album by American jazz group the Modern Jazz Quartet, augmented by a brass section on three tracks, recorded in 1971 and released on the Atlantic label.

Reception

At the time of its original release the Gramophone reviewer stated "Plastic Dreams" is an auspicious release for it lacks much of the pretentiousness which I have learned to dread ever since I first saw the Quartet in Paris in 1956".

The Allmusic review stated "Plastic Dreams has never been a critic's favorite, and was an album that mystified many of the group's longtime followers... Plastic Dreams was as close as the MJQ ever got to making a pop album... Indeed, as a whole Plastic Dreams does seem like a final refinement of several idealistic threads found throughout the MJQ's studio work stretching back to about 1960, with generous room made for new directions".

Track listing

All compositions by John Lewis except as indicated