Since first hearing ‘Marriage Of Convenience’, I have greatly anticipated the future work of Platonica Erotica. The initial release of her single ‘I Want To Be Every Man I Meet’ gave us a little glimpse into her bewitching sound and now, the release of her debut EP has given us everything we wanted and more. This is an eponymous debut reflective of the artist herself; self-assured and commanding in all the best ways.
This record is a brooding selection of songs that exhibit the scope of Hannah Hayden’s talent. It is quintessentially Platonica Erotica; sonically unpredictable with witty, razor-sharp lyricism that turns the verse-chorus paradigm on its head.
The soundscape of this EP is incredibly compelling – the way each song is meticulously constructed to have something new to grab your attention at any given moment. We hear this immediately in the opening track, rather appropriately titled, ‘Opened Up’, a slow-burning track that entices you in with undulating, orchestral instrumentation that grows more haunting by the second. The building atmosphere then gives way to a more calming, isolated guitar accompanied by Hannah’s Mitski-esque vocals. Her musical range really shines through in ‘Holy Holy’ in which she embodies a much darker and seductive tone that is reminiscent of Lana Del Rey’s Ultraviolence days.
There is a distinct dichotomy throughout this record. From the haunting, steadied breathing in ‘I Want To Be Every Man I Meet’ to the softer and lulling tones of ‘Together’, she skillfully mediates between the sweet and the vicious. As close collaborator Jerskin Fendrix puts it, “no other artist can make you feel so enamoured yet so victimised.”
Throughout the beauty that is this record, ‘King Of New York’ is what stands out the most. In this track we witness Hannah embrace a much heavier sound in the song’s climactic moment where she breaks from an intimate performance into a harmonious crash of instruments. Her delivery of “I’m revelation / I’m the New York Times” in collaboration with deathcrash’s instrumental performance here is truly something to behold.
Both sophisticated and self-aware, her music is enthralling. Throughout this record, she goes from strength to strength without ever wavering. Artists like this are so few and far between and there is no doubt that this is just the start for Platonica Erotica.
Words: Amber Jones
Platonica Erotica’s debut EP is out now via Slow Dance. Stream the release here.