West Sydney artist Ple$r thrives in new direction on debut EP ‘The Lover Pack’

Penrith artist Ple$r has officially released his debut EP ‘The Lover Pack’. Having delivered the confident and lyrically-savvy ‘Underrated 3style’ to listeners back in July, Ple$r has followed it up with an EP traversing unexpected (and immediately impressive) territory. In what feels like a landmark moment for the young artist, ‘The Lover Pack’ signifies Ple$r making moves to push not just himself but the West Sydney scene around him into new genre-bending areas of music-making.

Having become synonymous with a hoarse, introspective rap style in his solo work and as part of the MVTHALAND collective with West Sydney rapper Buddhasmoke, ‘The Lover Pack’ sees Ple$r hitting listeners with smoky R&B vocals, energetic bangers and moody, swaying instrumentals. Without a doubt Ple$r has always possessed a flair for emotional hooks and raw vocals – one listen to ‘Amber’ or ‘These Days’ will firmly tell you this – but its on ‘The Lover Pack’ where he opts to embrace his R&B leanings and influences in order to evolve his sound.

Read on for the full breakdown and review of Ple$r's EP 'The Lover Pack'.

Song Breakdown

‘Last name’

‘Last name’ establishes a tone of fulfilling desires that is accentuated by Ple$r embracing his hazy, lust-fuelled tendencies and talking through a romance like no other. The brooding drums and vocals packed with swagger speak to Ple$r and this significant other being swept up in the moment, and his husky voice is undoubtedly well-suited to the mood being explored. ‘Last name’ is built-off a superb rap-R&B crossover in Ple$r’s flow and style, with the subtle hums throughout the track and trickling plays of a xylophone to close it out adding to what is a sophisticated EP opener.

‘My way’ ft Dante2timez

Every step of ‘My way’ you find yourself wrapped up in the liveliness of its instrumental that is amplified by Ple$r’s groovy vocals. The hook is delightful, with its catchiness serving as a wonderful microcosm of the track’s dedication to a real love. Moreover, Dante2timez stays true to the laidback tone of the track with a vibrant and delightful verse. On an initial listen I wasn’t convinced by this Afrobeat-tinged track but it’s quickly become an irresistible bop that I can’t resist. And that is a testament to the intelligent music brain Ple$r possesses.

Photo by @grechie22

‘NA$tY’

‘The Lover Pack’ in its entirety flaunts Ple$r’s wide array of artistic capabilities, but there is something special about ‘NA$tY’. Encapsulating an unrestrained, rave-esque umph, ‘NA$tY’ builds in menacing fashion towards an uncontrollable and dynamic beat drop that will leave a dent in the roof of your car just from the fist-pumping alone. On top of that, Ple$r’s controlled lyrical brevity and braggadocious wordplay is effortless. Usually, a track’s title is tied into its themes, here however, ‘NA$tY’ is in fact the only way to describe the production on what has without a doubt turned out to be my favourite track on the EP.

‘U Still?’

Capping off the EP is ‘U Still?’, a track draped in the longing, lust and desire that follows the breakup of a relationship. Packed with musings dedicated to the craving Ple$r feels for this special someone, ‘U Still?’ gives the West Sydney artist a chance to speak his mind and ponder how much of this love is still felt by the other person. In a quality moment of production work, the final act slows things down and utilises vocal enhancements to treat listeners to a digitised version of Ple$r’s vocals that speaks wholeheartedly to the attitude of this single.

Photo by @jaydenlampasi

When Ple$r dropped ‘Underrated 3style’ in early July the thought of a dedicated rap EP from the imposing (and truthfully undervalued) rapper obviously stirred excitement. However, a project as diverse as the ‘The Lover Pack’ warrants plenty of endorsement not just because it is a welcome stylistic switch-up that proves Ple$r’s capability as a multifaceted artist, it proves his versatility, depth and growth as an artist. By crafting such a multi-layered and vibrant EP, Ple$r has demonstrated the passion and work he’s evidently put in since taking time away to work on his craft between 2021 and July of this year. Significantly, ‘The Lover Pack’ will keep us enthusiastically guessing Ple$r’s next possible stylistic choice, but until then, we’ll be playing this on repeat.

Words by Matthew Badrov