afropunk premiere: there’s nothing in the world like the pluto moons’ ‘e$pooky ep’ #soundcheck

Like the shifting definition of planet that changes based solely on the debate of whether Pluto counts as one or not, the music of The Pluto Moons defies easy categorization. Part soul, part post-punk, part R&B, part folk, the latest EP from the Brooklyn trio is a little bit of everything. Distorted bass and indie dance drums collide with bright arpeggiated synths for something simultaneously dark and optimistic, aggressive and chill. In short, The Pluto Moons E$pooky EP is tight as fuck and totally unique.

By Nathan Leigh, AFROPUNK Contributor

The title track opens with a slinky walking bass line and R&B vocal before the drums kick in and the whole thing flirts dangerously with 80’s post-punk. Swung bass rhythms juxtaposed against relentlessly straight dance drums make an uneasy but compelling groove. “#Badgoodbye” ups the urgency, with singer Jachary focusing his eye on the state of the world and the state of protest simultaneously. “Yes, I rallied in the alleys / but everyone was preoccupied.” His insistent voice shooting stratospheric, while synth player Max Alper layers everything with incongruously cheery synth pads. It shouldn’t work. It does work. It’s great.

“Eyez” introduces West African rhythms juxtaposed against Casio synths and chiptune blips over a sweet love song. The mix of new and old, aggressive and sweet is compelling. The EP closes out with the darkly beautiful “Improv 11613 remix.” A djembe beat drives a vocoded vocal line while a synth bass malfunctions and glitches underneath. On an album devoted to uneasy dance beats, it’s fitting that it closes out with something so uneasily chill. Like Pluto’s elliptical orbit, The Pluto Moons’ elliptical beats are unlike anything else on this world.

* Photos by Jared Blake and Album Art by Phil Musen. 
   All music sold on cassettes and digitally on Bandcamp