PLASTICZOOMS - Self-Titled Album Review

PLASTICZOOMS are a goth post-punk band who I hadn't heard of until very recently, but who have been around for the better part of a decade now. Their particular brand of alt rock is drenched in reverb and hearkens back to the 80s in the vein of Western bands like The Jesus and Mary Chain, as well as more modern bands like The Horrors. Their neo-noir cyberpunk aesthetic also makes for some of the most stylish music videos I've seen in years. With this new album, the band takes their bleak music to a new level with a synthwave-influenced sound and cleaner production.

The album opens up with a mostly instrumental intro track, Frontal Attack. It's fast and it's loud, setting the tone for the type of album you've just gotten yourself into. The band's ferocity really kicks into gear on the next song, The Future. PLASTICZOOMS has style coming out the ears, which may work to their disadvantage in some ways but ensures an exciting listen nonetheless. Quite Clearly is reminiscent of 90s BUCK-TICK in a way nobody else has properly been able to emulate before. The sinister tone of vocalist Sho's voice matches that of Atsushi Sakurai in a magnificent way.

The album's lead single Highways is a turn away from the heavier post-punk the band is known for, in favor of some dark and introspective synthpop. It's not my favorite song on the album by far, but it has its own merits. The atmosphere of the song is incredibly dark and mysterious, and I LOVE the music video (below).

The catchiest moment on the album comes in the form of U12, a driving neon-tinted piece of synthpop which feels like it was pulled straight out of the 80s. Another personal favorite is Night and Hurt, a mess of thick synths and vocoder-infused backing vocals. Adding to the album's diversity is the techno-infused Smoke Motion, which calls back to bands like Depeche Mode or even New Order. The other single is Veiled Eyes​, a fantastic song combining all the best aspects of the album into one great track.

The album ends with a slower song, Breitenbach. It's a bit more piano-heavy, and even has some very minor elements of funk in the instrumentation. It's not a bad song but maybe it doesn't work as well as a closer. It's the sort of song that really grows on you, though.

I'm loving this album so far. It's a great way to start off a new year of music, and I wish I had heard of PLASTICZOOMS earlier. The band is embarking on a tour of Europe and Hong Kong soon, be sure to check them out if you get the chance!

​-Justin

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PLASTICZOOMS

1. Frontal Attack
2. The Future
3. Quite Clearly
4. Minds
5. Highway
6. U12
7. Night and Hunt
8. Smoke Motion
9. Veiled Eyes
10. Breitenbach

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