Post-punk is such a tricky term. Why? Because it has to cover so much ground, encompass so many styles, and take on board such a musical spectrum, it almost becomes redundant, or at least too large and unwieldy. But oddly enough, it is actually a perfect term for London Plane in general and their sophomore album, Bright Black in particular, mainly because it covers so much ground. Many bands that get stuck with such a label could better be termed, alt-rock, goth, new wave, or even indie for the specific furrow that they plow. Not London Plane. This new album covers so much ground that only such a broadly applied term will do.
Take the opening, titular, sonic salvo, it is tribal, dark and delicious, brooding and gothic-infused but by the time you get a couple more tracks down the line, “Come Out of the Dark” is a chiming and off-beat indie groover. Hop further on and “Francesco” drips with the off-kilter, experimental funkiness of, say The Pop Group or Talking Heads and by contrast, “When We Were Right” oozes with the industrial disco dirge sound so beloved of Killing Joke. Only a term as wide-ranging as “post-punk” could hope to convey all of those different musical urges in one eight-letter soundbite.
The result is an album that is dark and relentless in places, in others accessible and infectious and always experimental and adventurous and able to create new fusions and cross-overs as it goes. Apocalyptic Country? Goth-abilly? Dystopian Pop?
Whatever it is, it is an album of songs built from originality and flair and delivered with confidence and panache.
Bright Black LP order
Spotify
Come Out of the Dark order
Bright Black single order
