Chances are you've never heard of On Planets (Sean Wharton), but that doesn't mean his debut EP, 2, isn't some of the most refreshingly original work out there right now. With a huge range of influences packed into just three songs, it's amazing he was able to condense such an expansive and ambitious soundscape into such a compact, and upbeat, package. A lot of contemporary indie artists (with the exception of St. Lucia, and maybe a few others) have resorted to exceedingly dark themes in their music, in an effort to give it an inflated air of importance. Don't get me wrong, waxing poetic about the inescapable darkness over some E and A-minor chords definitely has its place, but if an artist can get taken seriously doing something else, well then, that's impressive. 2 is a success not only because of it's impeccable production work, but because its actually quite uplifting as well. The vocals for all three tracks are handled by the mysterious "Scoop." This girl is one hundred percent anonymous at the moment, but with a voice as good as hers, its entirely possible her obscurity may be difficult to maintain in the future. On Planets has a pretty extensive back catalogue of sounds, but these three latest works of art mark a new level musical achievement, and will definitely put him, and Scoops, on the map in a big way.
On Planets & Scoop