After the runaway success of their debut album Terrapath, which cemented their status as the stewards of the UK’s prog-rock scene, plantoid have returned with their sophomore release: the enigmatic, arresting, and at times downright catchy FLARE. Staying true to the band’s math-rock roots, the album is awash in heavy, reverberated guitar licks, tempo changes, and mind-altering chord progressions—all while expanding plantoid’s signature sound towards new horizons, like wall-of-sound shoegaze and vocal-forward rock-pop. It does what all second albums do best; retain the core DNA that set its predecessor apart from the fray, yet evolve enough to excite old fans and new listeners alike.
“While making FLARE, we did knowingly acknowledge that our sound had been very erratic,” explains drummer Louis Bradshaw, who along with vocalist/guitarist Chloe Spence and lead guitarist Tom Coyne, make up the nucleus of Plantoid. “We never stayed on anything for too long. Before going into writing this album we wanted to slightly redefine what we were doing—it’s less directly proggy. It strays from that sound a bit, while retaining that character.”
If you’re here for the time changes, long track durations, and jazzy mid-song freakouts, don’t you worry, you’ll still find plenty across the album’s nine sprawling tracks. It’s just that Plantoid have been able to tap into something deeper, more lived-in. With the help of producer/sometimes live member Nathan Ridley, who has helped the band craft their sonic identity since Terrapath, they’ve sought to indulge their groovier side, dissecting their songs further and letting their ingredients properly ferment into something new. “We wanted to sit in the music for a while, make a mood out of it rather than like changing it up so quickly,” says Chloe. “We wanted to see ideas to their fullest extent.”
“A multi-faceted work combining rock, pop, jazz and soul from the adventurous Brighton-based trio.” THE SUN – 4 STARS
“Dizzying and imbued with an irresistible luminosity, this melange [of prog, math-rock and jazzy vocals] is brought together in a seamless, song-driven whole.” MOJO – 4 STARS
“Plantoid return with a nine-track beauty that soars with layers of innovative psych… FLARE is a leap forward in sound and texture… If this is the future of prog rock then I’m certainly in.” LOUDER THAN WAR – ALBUM OF THE WEEK
“FLARE displays a sharpening of focus and the consolidation of a distinctive sound… Singer Chloe Spence’s vocals are dreamy and soulful, guitarist Tom Coyne chops out staccato, sidewinder riffs and drummer Louis Bradshaw lays down beats that move from languidly jazzy to furiously kinetic… FLARE is the sound of a band bristling with confidence.” PROG TRACK OF THE WEEK
“Progressive music’s premier band impress yet again with FLARE, a further dedication to diverse writing and vibes that truly set them apart.” EVERYTHING IS NOISE
“While it maintains their capacity for dazzling chord progressions, this new release is softer and more malleable with songs that segue naturally into shoegaze and dreampop moments. While still highly technical, FLARE shows that precision and invention can still be compatible with emotion. It is a record that rewards repeated listening.” SILENT RADIO
And some key German press:
Babyblaue-seiten – Album review 12/15 HERE
“In addition to all its other qualities, most of the album also has the following remarkable feature: the tracks are quite intense, so that time seems to pass more slowly here, and the stated total duration of 47:47 minutes feels significantly longer, yet remains exciting throughout. That’s not something you often find either – so I’m happy to give ‘Flare’ two thumbs up.”
Gaesteliste – Album Review HERE
Jazzandrock – Album announce news HERE
Metalglory – Album News HERE
Myrevelations – Album Review HERE
Powermetal – Album Review 8/10 HERE
Rockhard – Album Review 6/10 HERE + Print
Soundsandbooks – Album Review HERE
Time-for-metal – Album release news HERE
Vampster – Album NewsHERE
Visions – Album review 10/12 HERE + Print
“The second Plantoid album is a hook-laden, never-boring masterpiece between prog, jazz, and math rock.”