Review: Platonick Dive ‘Take A Deep Breath’
Platonick Dive formed in 2010 in Livorno, Italy and have a line-up consisting of Gabriele Centelli (guitar, keys, bass, voice, electronic samples and programming), Marco Figliè (guitar, keys, electronic samples and programming) and Jonathan Nelli (drums and percussion) with additional keys/electronic samples supplied by Fabrizio Pagni.
The band debuted in 2013 with Therapeutic Portrait, followed by 2015’s Portrait and lastly 2018’s Social Habits. Included in the band’s catalogue are various remix EP’s and singles including their sublime 2017 reworking of the Twin Peaks theme which was put out to celebrate the long-awaited return of David Lynch’s classic yet surreal series. The band have toured with prominent names within the post-rock and ambient music scenes including Explosions In The Sky, Blonde Redhead, Four Tet and This Will Destroy You. Sounds promising, right?
Intro opens with a wash of ambient electronica, the equivalent to being given a great big comforting hug while Carpet Ceiling, the album’s first ‘proper’ track is pure a post-rock delight with shoegaze moments that remind you of a fuller sounding Pygmalion era Slowdive, were it delivered in a more receptive time period. The vocals on Faro are more prominent with moments that can almost be described as catchy, at least compared to the preceding track. It’s possible to lose yourself in the dreamy atmospherics which are akin to My Bloody Valentine, albeit with the distortion dialled down.
Anesthetic Analgesic‘s title respectively refers to the loss of physical sensation with or without loss of consciousness and pain relief without loss of sensation or consciousness. Basically, a pain free zen like state in which the music reflects with a darker, post-punk gothic tinge ala The Cure to make it all the more appealing. Naked Valley is expansive, mirroring the grandiose ambitions of Godspeed! You Black Emperor but in a far more compact and effective time span while Too Beautiful To Die Too Wild To Live with its Lynchian title is wonderfully danceable, demonstrating that unlike some of their post-rock/shoegaze contemporaries, Platonick Dive are unafraid of stretching out occasionally and having fun.
shimmering guitars, a solid rhythmic backdrop and subtle electronica…
Interlude offers one a pleasant break with its cool reverb-laden guitar effects and Falls Road positively sparkles with shimmering guitars, a solid rhythmic backdrop and subtle electronica. Once more the spectre of Slowdive rears its head on Blue Hour, an emotive and moving piece which is like the soundtrack to a break-up happening in real time, hence the title. Santa Monica, a coastal city west of downtown Los Angeles, has a gorgeous surfy vibe to it, coincidentally an area known for surfing. The track, unlike Blue Hour, is more summery sounding, something which. as someone who is (for now) based in dreary North-West England, feels somewhat out of place, however this doesn’t detract from its overall loveliness.
The music on Struggles & Feelings swells, reflecting a building sense of inner turmoil and frustration which threatens to break out at any moment. The fact that it doesn’t, is a testament to the band’s masterful control, it instead has you on tenterhooks throughout. Tribeca, an area in Lower Manhattan, New York is popularly known for the film festival founded by Robert De Niro in the aftermath of 9/11. Its unsurprising then that the track, with its spoken word dialogue and climactic score, would prove an ideal soundtrack to any accompanying film therefore making it the perfect conclusion to the album.
It’s been six years since Platonick Dive last put out an album, but it looks like with Take A Deep Breath their patience over the pandemic has paid off. Give the band some love and check out this gem of an album, you won’t regret it.
Label: Moment Of Collapse Records
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Reza Mills
