The town of Bogense – in the north of the Danish island of Funen, is quite fascinating, its winters last a bit longer than is proper, and the summer evenings pretend as if the sun forgot to leave. It is from these enigmatic places that Mikkel Smidt Diget comes, known to fans by the pseudonym Planks. So this likeable guy composes music oscillating between acoustic intimacy and electric drive, with a clear accent on narrativity. Diget accurately noted, calling his style “twilight folk-rock.” There really is something intermediate here – between the soft light of British folk-rock of the 70s and northern thoughtfulness. The guitars sound warm, their sound shimmers, and the vocal harmonies in Planks are precise and lively, but in them I noticed a slight tension, but only for a couple of bars.
A couple of days ago, more precisely on November 7, Planks’ debut EP “Pilot” was released, whose through theme is the fleetingness of love. Four songs – four short stories about how people talk to each other, although they know that something is going wrong, however they are not ready to admit it. A story about long nights, about moments when another person’s conviction begins to seem more dangerous than your own doubt. To understand how Planks handles this unstable matter – unspoken tension and “uncomfortable” agreement – I suggest starting with the first song. It sets the tone for this entire twilight story and in an atmosphere of indecision.
“Hey Love” – the perfect starting pilot episode, where the main character hasn’t yet understood that he’s in a series. Characters who are trying to talk about love, but don’t hear each other. The acoustic guitar takes notes carefully, the vocals of Planks join it and together they build bright musical images. The repeating arpeggiated guitar melody shines against the backdrop of a light even beat and warm swaying bass. The vocals break through this with sincere, thoughtful lyrics, supported by golden harmonic vocals. In the middle of the track a light echo appears on the vocals, the sound expands. The author is trying to fill the void that has already begun to grow between two people. And then the echo leaves, and again the guitar fingerpicking and slightly vibrating vocals.
The second track hits immediately and without warning. “Mr. Well-informed” begins with a guitar riff that sounds as if it was recorded in a basement on an old Marshall with a blown speaker. The hardest thing on the EP, and after the quiet “Hey Love” the contrast works like a slap – in a good sense. Planks switches from personal to public: the song is about those who are convinced they know the truth, because they read it on the internet or heard it from someone authoritative, and now are ready to repeat it without thinking. The singer sings with hoarseness, there is anger in the voice, and this is rare for folk-rock. The riff is dirty, bluesy groove, only passed through an amplifier that should have been fixed long ago. The drums here hit harder than in the other songs, the bass holds the bottom so tightly that the riff doesn’t fall apart even in the most chaotic moments. In the middle of the song everything darkens: the guitar becomes even more aggressive, almost metallic, the vocals strain to the limit, and it seems that now everything will break into a real scream. But he keeps himself in check. The riff returns, and the track cuts off as suddenly as it began.
The title track,“Pilot,” appears in third place, and this is the right choice – it returns to that tension that was already in “Hey Love,” only now it has become even more obvious. A song about a couple that is still together, but both already understand that there’s a fork ahead. The guitar is acoustic again, but this time the arrangement is slightly richer: over the main fingerpicking a second layer with light arpeggios is layered, and this creates movement, although the rhythm remains calm. Diget’s vocals sound tired – not physically, but emotionally. The harmonies return, and again they slightly miss – not technically, everything is fine there, but emotionally. In the chorus the guitar becomes brighter, light reverberation appears, and for a second it seems that the song is about to come out to a new level. But it doesn’t do this. The fingerpicking returns, the melodies calmly diverge.
The last track and first single, “Things Happen At Night,” – the most tense and electric point of the EP. Based on Planks’ night outings in Odense, the song conveys the illusion of freedom, which by dawn turns into emptiness. The distorted organ sets an alarming, I would say ominous tone – as if it knows that the celebration is doomed. The electric guitar with light overdrive strengthens the dense sound wall. The vocals are taut, like a string, it seems that the singer is trying to outshout his own thoughts, and in the chorus the voice deliberately breaks, and the drums beat out a cold rhythm until the very morning, until the light turns on.
My acquaintance with Planks began with the brightest track – the single “Things Happen At Night.” It immediately hooked me and drew me into its twilight Danish world. I understood: there is something special here – and I eagerly awaited the release of the EP. What makes the debut EP “Pilot” interesting – the author doesn’t try to reinvent folk-rock, and this is his strength. Planks works within the framework of tradition, knowing it deeply enough to speak in his own language. His songs – are not a search for novelty, but a sincere rethinking of the familiar. I am confident that critics and listeners will appreciate this debut and will feel in it talent and maturity.
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