Son Of Philip - Plastic Borough

Album

23 Apr

From the outset, Son of Philip promises a different record from the previous one. There's more drama from the start as Son of Philip storytelling emerges, taking centre stage. This time, Son of Philip does away with the anthology-style slices of life tracks from his previous release, I Find Myself in You (2023), instead homing in on something more emotionally consistent. Son of Philip has found his sound within in floaty, bass-heavy, melodic ambience. It's a style that's become more prominent in recent years, with composers such as Ludwig Göransson bringing it to the silver screen in films like Tenet. Although the glossy, big-budget Hollywood types aim to make music for cinema. What's offered on Plastic Borough (2024) is genuinely cinematic. The record uses restrictions and budget constraints to deliver a much more raw and focused picture to stick with the film analogy.

One of the most engaging aspects of Plastic Borough is its willingness to change things up track by track. Rushing head-first into 'One More Snus' brings throbbing tension through syncopated stabs and strange strings that don't give you a second to catch your breath. The wildly enchanting vocals of Ylva Grönlund elevate the emotional weight with how closely they are mixed. At points, it sounds like you can even hear her swallowing between passages, just adding to that claustrophobic feeling that's never quite let go of. Unwilling to rest on his laurels, Son of Philip moves straight into one of the lightest cuts on the record, 'Messon'. Bouncy bass and fluttering of synths mimic field recordings, bringing a strange duality and character. Dashes of Selected Ambient Works Volume II are everywhere. The strained piano sounds in awe of the dense, almost smothering atmosphere surrounding it.

A disorienting slog through what I can only describe as a strange fairground sees the frumpiness of 'Dulwich Architect' synthesisers become almost humorous. The sounds feel like they're being frayed. Audio contorts into dissonant shadows of what they once were. A palpable feeling of denial runs throughout, like second-guessing yourself. Uncomfortable emotions follow closely behind with the track 'En Marsh' As Grönlund returns with a bone-chilling vocal performance. It's complex and bewildering when even the guiding light of the main vocal becomes murky and undefined, sinking under audio processing. The title track, 'Plastic Borough', gleams with hopeful ambition. The strings are so bright and full of life compared to 'En Marsh's falsetto whispers. There's a chilling reverence and catharsis when listening to 'Plastic Borough' as Son of Philip and Matthew Farrell step into the retrofuture, giving a glimpse of what singularity might look like.

'Infinity' stands out as one of the most captivating tracks on the release, an earworm. It nestles deep in the mind with sultry vocals that linger like familiar perfume or fresh rainfall. The 1-2-3 provides momentum as your 4x4 toe tapping only barely catches up. It's the most progressive on the record and dips into free jazz and kraut. That said, the most psychedelic moments come from 'Dream Rebellion'. Constant audio illusions murmur all over the track, Hiding beneath the surface. Somehow, this cut reimagines that feeling of slowly forgetting a dream. It's not that we forget but that the dream gradually gets weaker. It's trying to bring itself to consciousness but is pushed deeper. As the tides of noise rise, so do these illusions until all is quiet again. The way Plastic Borough differentiates itself from previous projects is through its cohesion. Less emphasis is put on making each track a story within itself. This time, it's much more fluid. It's an impactful album end to end and becomes Son of Phillips's most complete record to date.

Tracklist: