For their final offering of 2020, Florida’s PLANET LOSER deliver “Don’t Wake Me Up“, an homage to “soft rock” through their trademark dreampop sound. The song is the last in a series that’s seen the band release seven singles across the year, showcasing various aspects of their songwriting prowess and garnering praise for their sound.
It’s not uncommon for those with roots in the hardcore music scene to grow a bit older and start to stretch their figurative musical wings a bit. The creative forces behind Nothing, Cold Cave, Sleigh Bells, and a litany of others all cut their teeth playing in various hardcore bands, honing their skills and, by most accounts, bringing some hard-earned lessons about songwriting that cuts to the chase. Florida’s Planet Loser may soon be another of the notable acts among that list.
Started as the project of Ethan Murphy, formerly of metallic hardcore unit Blistered, and his long-time partner Amber Lewis, Planet Loser offered an opportunity for the couple to explore a broader musical palette than Murphy’s previous efforts and collaborate together for the first time. The resulting music, recorded entirely by Murphy and Lewis, showcases just how strong the pair’s songwriting prowess can be. Each song feels immediately familiar without being cliché, influenced by classic ’80s elements, yet undeniably catchy in a way that comes almost as second nature to those with a punk / hardcore background.
“’80s-indebted dream pop… a fresh take on these familiar sounds.” – BrooklynVegan
“a delectable slice of dreamy indie-pop with glistening guitars, poignant words and another fine vocal performance from Amber Lewis.” – Records I Like Blog
