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Plini Is Coming Back To Remind Us How Nu-Prog Is Done With “Sunhead” EP

Fellow denizens of the Metalosphere (shut up, it’s a thing now), rejoice! For, at long last, the Australian voice of one Plini has returned to grace our ears. In

6 years ago

Fellow denizens of the Metalosphere (shut up, it’s a thing now), rejoice! For, at long last, the Australian voice of one Plini has returned to grace our ears. In the sea of mediocrity that nu-prog has quickly become (and, perhaps, always was for the most part), Plini’s voice has been an essential reason to even bother with the genre. From the first of his EPs and down to the genius of his previous release, Handmade Cities, Plini’s approach to nu-prog has been more interesting and accomplished than almost all of his peers. So, when the man announced his upcoming EP, Sunhead, I was thrilled. The first single from it (released as a standalone to begin with but later included in the album itself) was good but I knew that more was coming. And, lo and behold, we now have that “more” in the form of “Kind”.

Bluntly put, the phrasing on the first minute of this track is why I love Plini. Yes, the chromatic riffs and djent influenced palm mutes are down the line aplenty but it’s these little ideas, drawing from the man’s own approach to the guitar and owing a ton to the ever excellent Simon Grove (bass) and Chris Allison (drums) which gives this project meaning. The production on this track is also fantastic, once again owing to the genius of Mr. Grove. By the time the sweeter segments are playing, you’re already well and done for, captured by the charm of Plini’s unique composition and track structure.

And the real beauty of “Kind” is that it’s a fantastic album opener, casting the tracks that come after it in its own light. Having heard Sunhead, I can tell you that this is, once again, a step forward for Plini and another indication of why the project is just the best of the best of what nu-prog has to offer. Thank god.

Eden Kupermintz

Published 6 years ago