Skyscraping
Composer Julian Plenti’s return to music was inspired by the purchase of Logic Pro software, which allowed him to write for multiple instrumental and build up sounds far beyond his previous guitar and vocal compositions. The result is an interesting album that mixes up styles constantly, sporting various well-known musicians from other groups taking on instrumental duties.
Most of the album feels like fairly traditional indie but there are some real standout tracks. Interpol guitarist Sam Fogarino’s distinctive, incisive guitarwork is instantly recognisable on ‘Games For Days’, one of the most memorable tunes on the album with an instant impact. It’s a driven number with a tense atmosphere and driven rhythm that’s almost industrial with throbbing guitars and taught percussion. ‘Fly As You Might’ is a similarly striking song with spiky guitarwork, shuddering percussion and a smooth groove.
Julian Plenti does sweet indie tunes very well; ‘No Chance Survival’, for example, is a delicate and touching number with sighing vocals and a soft and subtle, glistening piano backing. Opener ‘Only If You Run’ is an intriguing tune with a breathy indie mellowness undermined by sharp guitarwork that gives it an edge. Plenti’s real talent is for creating indie tunes that are mainstream enough to be instantly appealing to a large audience, but also have their unique quirks. Take ‘Unwind’, which adds some brass and twinkling keys into a 3 minute upbeat indie track, using unusual samples to charm the listener.
Julian’s characteristic soft and breathy vocals quickly give away his day job, but it’s an important fact when appreciating his songwriting on ‘Julian Plenti Is Skyscraper’. All that needs to be said is that the vocals add a touching, emotional layer to his music, especially on more introspective numbers like the tender ‘On The Esplanade’.
‘Julian Plenti Is Skyscraper’ is an excellent album full of interesting and creative indie tunes. There’s barely an average tune out of the 11 included, meaning that not only can Plenti write a song; he can also sculpt an album that flows perfectly.