by Allison Lapinski
It’s somehow October in the time warp that became 2020, and I am still catching up on all the great music that was released at the start of quarantine. Enter: Powerplant, a London-based punk band with their EP entitled, A Spine / Evidence, released in April. Beginning as a solo project of vocalist/instrumentalist Theo Zhykaryev, the project soon grew legs and became a quartet, combining all things unique of eggpunk and all things doom of post-punk.
Across the EP, their off-kilter sound is truly hallmarked by the speed and force coming from the use of both the analog synths and ripping drums. The debut track contains a Frankenstein-like production that I imagine Mary Shelley and the cast of Rocky Horror would appreciate. Zhykaryev’s vocals mimic a monstrous Elvis Presley, weaving in and out as he views his spine as “a world in my eyes.” A steady guitar-riff and fuzzy bass accompany blaring synths, resulting in a song that should be added to that Halloween playlist you have sitting somewhere.
The tempo shifts into overdrive on the next song, “Good Time,” which can only be equated to what one might feel in the midst of a three-week-long bender, yet a climax is reached just at the end of the song. The record skips in a loop, where Zhykaryev is suddenly forced to reflect on those nights “running naked drinking wine.” Nodding to punk traditions of chants and repetition, Powerplant still gives listeners a refreshing perspective that begs to be decoded.
This element of mystery recurs and is central to the track, “Evidence.” The siren-y synths make you feel like you’ve entered a neo-futuristic detective novel, where Zhykaryev is hiding from the avengers of his crime. Lloyd Clipston’s drums on the track provide both a sense of stability and urgency, as some sort of haunting feeling sweeps through and then grinds the track to a halt.
“Hurtwood” finishes off the EP in the only way that a final track on an EP of this breed should. It’s a culmination of everything Powerplant built so carefully in the songs prior, yet simultaneously destroys any and all expectations of them. Raw and tantalizing; while the words here are indecipherable, Powerplant beautifully captures a moment of complete insanity.
Powerplant have seemingly built a steady and loyal base of fans throughout Europe and America, especially in the wake of their 2019 LP, People in the Sun. This EP is a reminder to new and old fans alike that you can remain just as--if not more--unpredictable, unhinged, and riveting on a 45’ EP.