The sensation could be compared to that of moving fast downstream, carried along effortlessly by the current. But it’s not calm and sunny. My eyes are wide open. The current is swift and it all feels a little bit dangerous. I am not sure I could stop even if I wanted to. That’s the sensation of Los Angeles-based duo Polyplastic‘s newest release Talk to Me. Push play, close your eyes, and you’ll see what I mean.
They classify the track as a kind of post-punk, shoegaze alternative rock. Maybe it is. It’s the delicious and unusual flavor you might cook up if you played The Cure and New Order at the same time, with your other hand turning up the dial on the bass. Deep and riveting electric guitar expressions draw me along while I’m entranced by Emily Ibarra‘s captivating basslines. The intense and intertwining movements of the guitars are plunged into deep, muted hues of an electronic palette, and an unrelenting beat. It’s hypnotizing. Or mesmerizing. I feel immersed in something I don’t want to escape.
The vocal work is equally engaging. Polyplastic‘s frontman Charlie Ellis’s vocal delivery hints at influences of The Cure and New Order. Deep, artsy; unusual but not strange. The style and tone are perfectly complemented, and perhaps even beautifully subdued, by Ibarra’s strong and velvety vocal harmonies texturing the chorus.
I was surprised, and actually not surprised at all, to discover that Polyplastic‘s Charlie Ellis is a visual artist and fashion designer as well as a musician. I’m attracted to art, in all of its forms, and I guess Charlie Ellis is, too. For Polyplastic, each song is represented visually and artistically through its album artwork, merchandise, and tour visuals. It’s all an aesthetic experience for both eyes and ears. If you are looking for something to tantalize your aesthetic senses, perhaps Polyplastic is for you.
If you doubt me, consider their self-description: Polyplastic is a city at night, a sharp-edged sculpture, a wink from a stranger, an elegant rebellion.
Talk to Me was released April 1, 2022 along with another single Break Away.
