Planet have one of the most expansive sounds I’ve ever heard… ever.
It’s actually pretty hard to tell where exactly it comes from. Although the guitar tracks and vocals have a liberal dose of delay and reverb dripping off them, this isn’t the only reason that their music carries such a huge atmosphere of space.
It’s no secret that waves of reverb can expand your sound but Planet have taken it to a whole new level in Undermine and it’s utterly beautiful
The Sydney 5-piece manage to capture this feeling of unencumbered lightness in their music, so much so that it feels like it could practically lift you off your feet. It’s this same artful combination of timbre, pacing, effects and melody that we’ve seen in the band’s first couple of singles that makes their new one, Undermine, so goddamn joyful to listen to.
Planet dropped into our laps towards the end of last year with their first single, Disaster Caster. Exuding the right amount of chill, a solid dose of romance and an inescapable sense of attitude. The band broke some hearts with their debut, and haven’t stopped since.
Their sound is pure pop at it’s core, wrapped up in swirling spacious guitars and punchy rhythms. There’s an element of Madchester in the amalgamation of psych and dance elements in the mix, but it’s all buried in folds of powerful guitars. Undermine is perhaps the most spacious the band have gotten in their career so far. The twinkling riffs that announce the track’s takeoff are a precursor to the deluge of aerial guitar magic that follows.
Frontman Matty Took’s vocals compliment these soaring guitar melodies perfectly, either filling in the void of their absence or scattering around them like spectral projectiles.
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The track plays with dynamics wonderfully, never relenting the sweeping pace yet, not allowing it to get in the way of expression either. The interplay between verse and chorus is magic. The choruses are huge, but when they give way to the more languid verses, intensity never yields.
Took’s acoustic guitar chugs along nicely, wrapping itself around the snare and making sure your attention doesn’t slip. And you wouldn’t want it to, because the song’s climax makes you feel like you’re jumping off a cliff into pure, white nothing.
It’s pretty much 4 out of 4 for these guys so far, and we’re pretty keen for them to put an EP out real soon. You can catch Planet playing a few show in Sydney and slot at Shaka Fest (fkn yew) on the Gold Coast. Catch the dates below:
Thursday, 30th June @ Jam Gallery, Bondi (supporting The Delta Riggs)
Saturday, 9th July @ Newtown Social Club, Newtown (supporting The Creases)
Friday, 16th September @ Moonshine Bar, Manly
