Trails Pluto - Trails Pluto

Trails Pluto
​
Trails Pluto
​self-released; 2022

3.8 out of 5

My Nguyen

Trails Pluto is a musical duo from Stockholm, Sweden, consisting of Jimmi and Johan. The two of them have played music together for a number of years. With a shared love for old school psych rock and Swedish prog, they decided to get together to write and record some songs. The result is their self-titled EP Trails Pluto, a seven-track collection that dives deep into dream pop, psychedelic rock and indie rock. Once listeners have a taste of their haunting sound, they definitely will be coming back for more!

Trails Pluto begins with “Vanilla Minds,” where a voiceover and jangly guitars come across the start of this recording. Next, the vibes become more psychedelic with flavorful, reverb-drenched vocals and more melodious guitars. I was loving how dreamy and sunny the vibes felt here. Catchy and upbeat at once, I think the band manages to create a classic but also modern rock sound here. Synths and beats produce a mesmerizing listening experience. I thought they sounded a lot like Beach House.

Up next is “In The Middle Of A Room,” where some rumbling bass brings up some funk-filled fun and some bustling blues vibes. The psychedelic sounds were also noticeable. I loved how flavorful this track sounded to my ears. The vocals here had more attitude and sass as Jimmi sings in a whisper on this compelling song. Jimmi’s vocals on “Footprint On The Moon” sounded like a lounge singer as a sparse piano riff backs him up. Next, the stripped sound clears up as some synths settle into the groove. This was a simply rendered but definitely impactful track. The horns added something special to this song. Synths and beats arrive on “Past Life,” bringing in a sizzling vibe. The tune was meandering and took its time in evolving. I was getting prog rock vibes here. The track takes its time with absolutely no rushing. 

“Nobody Else” was a total 180 from the band as they perform on simply the acoustic guitar and piano. I thought this was a great ballad as Jimmi belts out the tunes to great effect. Some steel lap guitar sounds out along some static sounds on “Omega.” The sounds felt very lo-fi and raw. Next, the band comes forth with a Beatles-inspired sound. They sounded psychedelic and retro here. Acute strumming on the electric guitar sounds out on “Sequels In Rewind.” Next, a full band vibe comes in with a happening sound. This seemed to be a great way for the band to close the album. 

​While listening to Trails Pluto’s dreamy and pop sound, I was reminded instantly of Beach House. The duo really manages to hone a haunting sonic landscape with odes to the ‘60s, ‘70s and beyond. Thematically this set of songs is about a breakup between two people and their journey following the breakup. As for the sound itself, the music has a tendency to be a little toward the lo-fi spectrum, but I think in this instance, this really worked in favor of the band as the reverb and fuzz-factor went on to create atmosphere and great ambience on this record. The duo manages to capture the fleetingness of love all within the soundscapes of these seven songs. With this in mind, I look forward to seeing more of the band’s potential in a brand new release soon!

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