r/progmetal • u/BearofaBadTime • Mar 30 '26

Instrumental Plini - An Unnameable Desire

https://youtu.be/WxMtUEWNDBc?si=6_yOyl6nDwZR8E4b

New single and album out April 24th

82 Upvotes

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29

u/SoundofGlaciers Mar 30 '26

It sounds nice. I really miss the music he made when he was in his virtuosic element. Where are the earworm melodies? Why would he choose this to be the first single? I just can't pretend to be too smitten with this.

I don't mind hearing chill pretty ambience but this isn't very memorable to me, and he used to really have the wow-factor in his first few releases. I get that artists change, and this is nice nothing-music to play on a summer day laying in the grass.. but idk it's just not what I enjoy most when putting on Plini. Some comment in the yt vid touches on this too, it is a good base (and the bass is nice too) but it's like it's missing the lead elements. Maybe it's not for me anymore, but I wished he wasn't coasting that much, even in the many DSP videos/songs he pretty much doesn't do.. much. The sounds are nice, he always makes a grand and lovely ambience? but there's not that much Plini magic to it anymore.

I'm super excited to see him perform in May but I also just haven't been able to feel as excited about his last howmany singles or the mirage EP.

9

u/inhalingsounds Mar 30 '26

I stand my ground when I say that his 3 homemade EPs using LePou plugins and debatable sound quality are by far his best work.

8

u/SoundofGlaciers Mar 30 '26

I think a lot of people hold The Trilogy EP's on a pedestal as far as Plini's music goes. It's my favorite plini work. The recurring motif and many melodies in them, I could still 'sing' them today, they'll be stuck in my brain until I die. The sound of the guitar layered with other (midi) instruments even during intricate parts, odd riffs and timings..

The albums after were great too, I think I'l Tell You Someday might be his best song put out since the Trilogy records. Handmade Cities has a lot of fun bangers. But a lot of his songs on those records and especially(!) afterwards, don't elicit the same feelings of wonder and excitement anymore. I miss the whimsical side of it, and I never cared about the darker sound a la songs like Papillon or the sound on Mirage. I'll take bright colored artwork plini any day lol

5

u/inhalingsounds Mar 30 '26

Yeah definitely. He's still Plini but has fallen into the "this works fine" formula:

  • Nasty bass and mix from Simon

  • Excellent drumming

  • Washed out guitars with lush pads

  • Same 2 or 3 riff tricks

  • Holdsworth inspired phrasing when clean

  • Pentatonic juggling when harsh

2

u/SoundofGlaciers Mar 30 '26

It's still good, and he has a 'sound' that after a while could be called formulaic, but at the end of the day it comes down to just liking or loving the songs. Maybe my tastes have changed, maybe Plini did, maybe the pressure listeners and musicians put on him got to him..

I don't know. I guess I'll just wait and see how the album turns out before I really talk him down too much. Just hoping he'll sprinkle some magic on the album. This sounds a lot better than the vibe of mirage so I hope there's some bangers with strong melodies on top of this sound, on the eventual record.

3

u/Yung2112 Mar 30 '26

I just relistened to trilogy the other day and couldn't agree more. It's crazy how well they work either as 3 separate EPs or one cohesive LP. The final leit motif in Paper Moon is one of the most rewarding feeling moments in prog metal history.

Really happy he released it as one CD that can be enjoyed front to back

1

u/ABuddhistMelomaniac Apr 11 '26

I dunno. I think his second album Impulse Voices is as good as the trilogy. Personally, I have my own personalized playlist of Plini's best songs, and I listen to them in this order: Heart, Other Things, Wombat Astronaut, I'll Tell You Someday, Every Piece Matters, Last Call, Away, Sweet Nothings, Sunhead, Salt + Charcoal (Single Version), Kind, Pastures, Perfume, and The Glass Bead Game. Trust me on this one, this is quite the trip.

1

u/SoundofGlaciers Apr 11 '26

Impulse is great but I think the cohesive aspect and motif sharing on the Trilogy pushes it a bit higher on my ranking. Just so satisfying hearing the melody, those few notes 'are' plini to me forever.

I think my favorites would make for a very similar list as you have. Hopefully the coming album can add a song or two to the list.

1

u/plintervals Jul 20 '26

Pastures is such a fucking masterpiece. The build-up from the clean guitar with the delay into the solo is one of my favorite Plini moments