Read The Room. Microplaza

Microplaza returns to WoNoBlog with its third single, containing miniature songs of a slightly estranging nature. With its love for old-fashioned 7" singles, Microplaza releases its records in the way the top bands of the past scored its great hits, now much sought for items for collectors. One day this may also go for Microplaza's 7"s. There are not that many of them and someone will want them in the future.

Microplaza is the collaboration between Benjamin van Vliet and Arno Breuer, Breuer creating the music, Van Vliet the lyrics. All totally corona proof or so I can imagine. Music that limits itself fully. In fact with its 2"43 'Old Lies' may be Microplaza's longest song to date.

The limitations in lenght result in ultra short lyrics as well. As the tempo is at best medium, this limits the number of words as well. Van Vliet manages to share his story or message in the 1 minute plus scheme of things.

Musically Microplaza experiments as much as possible. In time signature, instruments and a child choir. Not that it is unrecognisable music. Two artists come to mind quite fast. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and Sparklehorse. The former in the vocal style, the latter in the gravelly music. Although it is all very clear in sound, it somehow gives the impression as if recorded with a filter of a gravel road. As if broken, with hisses and the noise created by not singing and not playing. As if silence is actually an instrument.

In part that gives the music on Read The Room something mysterious, if not spooky. At the same time it is part of the music's charm. The addition of all sorts of instruments to the acoustic guitar and voice and the added effects to the voice make the short songs come totally alive and instantly attractive. Not to forget immensely rich in sound. I'm not talking about great pop hits but certainly of indie/alternative songs of great attraction, almost despite the alternative setting. A bit like Marcel van Roosmalen telling immensely humoristic stories with his deadpan voice or like enjoying the presence of the sun behind the clouds. There's more to follow within the songs then ever before with Microplaza. Read The Room indeed.

Endings are abrupt, as they have to be when the available time is so short. Making the listener long for more. It comes only in the form of a new song and at the end repeated playing, which I tend to do.

In 'Old Lies' there is a percussive element, immensly ugly in sound, sounding like a laptop not being able to process it all anymore, thus playing music with digital stotters. It is Microplaza and not your device! Disruption of a song of beauty in case.

With Read The Room Microplaza has not only expanded its oeuvre with another 7 minutes but also with its most ambitious songs to date. I'm sure this will not be the last few minutes. Add all up and the band almost has a mini album in the can. Humility can be a strength in music. Microplaza is showing it more and more.

Wout de Natris