Planer’s debut EP The End captivates in blending atmospheric alternative rock with the expansive soundscapes of post-rock — impressively blending dreamy textures, soaring vocals, and emotionally charged guitar work. Recorded after just two months of songwriting, the three-track collection channels inspirations like Deftones and Dinosaur Jr in its immediate, well-produced sound. From the textured shifts of “End” to the hooky charm of “Paper” and the nostalgic fervor of “Satisfied,” the EP fully envelops.
“End” opens the album with gripping momentum and tonal variety, shifting seamlessly between dreamy guitar twinkling and thunderous doses of distortion. A touch of feedback and enveloping melodic shift take hold just prior to the two-minute turn, then cohesively arriving into the “at the end” lush vocal re-emergence. The band’s eclectic ability to immerse in both serene spaciousness and hard-rocking vigor is on full display with this fantastic opener.
The ensuing “Paper” consumes in its emotive vocal ascents, reminding fondly of a cross between The Wrens and Dinosaur Jr. in its traversal from multi-layered vocal ardency into delectably twangy guitar work. While “End” dazzled in its memorable tonal dynamics and all-out ferocity, “Paper” showcases the band’s knack for hooky charm, both in regard to expressive vocal rises and twanging guitar entrancement.
EP finale “Satisfied” finds an enjoyable middle ground, invoking an early ’90s nostalgia in its range of jangly guitar hypnotics and soaring vocal passion. “At least we had some fun,” the vocals ring out during a particularly memorable section, which culminates in riveting layers of guitar strums and elongated rock-forward textures, with shades of Deftones in the track’s overall fervency. The End is a fantastic EP from Planer that succeeds across all three of its tracks.
