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The wait is (almost) over! Planas drops debut album
Thursday 15th November 2012 | Ruth
Set the date guys! November 26th sees the much anticipated release of the multi-talented, genre-spanning Planas' debut album, The Long Game. Previewed a year ago, to say this album has been a long time coming is something of an understatement, but the pure variety of sounds presented ensures this is one album that will be well worth the wait.
You may recognise Planas, AKA Toby Davies, from one of his other numerous musical outfits - a founding member of Gentlemen's Dub Club, he also writes Hip Hop as Tarqwin Smythe, produces under the pseudonym Seemore Productions and collaborates with a huge number of popular artists including Submotion Orchestra (check out his beautiful Dubstep remix of their track Finest Hour). Planas has been dubbed his 'Dubstep alter ego'; however, describing the Planas sound as Dubstep does little to define it these days. As a genre, Dubstep has undergone numerous transformations from its inception in the early-mid noughties. Back then, its Dub influences were much more apparent than they are since the likes of Skrillex and Flux Pavilion got their hands on it and turned it into an entirely new, much more aggressive type of music. Artists like Burial pared down the Dubstep sound to something much more mellow, meaning Dubstep has now become an umbrella term that describes a huge variety of music; a fact fully exploited by Planas on this release.
Deftly fusing harmonious, vocal 'mellow-step' (and borrowing fellow Gentlemen's Dub Club alumni Ed Thomas' voice) on Breathtaking - which was also remixed to masterful effect by dBridge - The Long Game then segues into a more accessible, Hip Hop/Pop style on Merry Go Round, borrows garage tempo and stylings for 2 Little 2 Late before returning to a more recognisable Dubstep vibe for Mr Litvinenko. Already delivering an enormous amount of variety, Planas refuses to stop evolving, having created 'Planas Live', a four-piece, live band version of Planas - whose live show, inspired by the album, went down a storm at this summer's Outlook festival.
With this much talent and ingenuity, it's clear to see why music biz insiders and fans alike are chomping at the bit for The Long Game. Subsequent to its late November drop, you can catch Toby, in a multitude of his guises, at XOYO on the 13th of December, where you can expect to hear much of this highly anticipated album up close and personal.
For now, check out the album preview on Soundcloud:
By Ruth Stewart
