Plas – Messenger (CD Album – LWD Records)
Genre/Influences: Indie-pop, pop-rock.
Background/Info: Plas hails from the North-West of England. Influences are wide ranging, including Gary Numan, David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Suede, Beck and Liam Lynch. They so far released the album “Here In This Room”, and the “Voyeur” and “Witchcraft”.
Content: “Messenger” has something pretty indie-pop like. Electronics and guitar parts create a perfect match, which has been on a few tracks empowered by breakbeat-like patterns. I also noticed a short and sphere-like instrumental song.
+ + + : I have a preference for the most dynamic cuts driven by breakbeat influences. I’m referring to the excellent title song and “This Is The World”. Globally speaking the songs are well-crafted revealing cool electro sound treatments and noticeable effects.
– – – : I sometimes get the impression Plas is still in search of a real sound identity. It feels like a sonic version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; quite indie-pop like at first sight, but also carried by breakbeats at other moments. There’s nothing wrong with diversity, but I think there’s more inside this band than what came out on “Messenger”.
Conclusion: “Messenger” reveals good ideas, but it’s not enough to speak about a fully convincing work. I’m however convinced this band can do much better as there’s really have something.
Best songs: “Messenger”, “This Is The World”, “Uniform”.
Rate: (6½).
Artist: www.plasmusic.com / www.facebook.com/plasmusic
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
