"Planexit" marks the next chapter in DESERT CLOUDS' two-decade career. The London based outfit deliver '60s Psychedelic/Rock influences and '90s arrangements (or the other way around), with their own distinctive dark sound. "This new album is a journey throughout the inner side of the human being, represented by a nameless man who is trying to escape the surrounding environment that overwhelms him." They draw inspiration from all genres and influences from the likes of SYD BARRETT to LED ZEPPELIN to NIRVANA, and TOOL. Lyrically they explore the darker side of the human condition and draw on interests such as the Italian artistic movement Decadentism, along with existentialism. The album contains nine tracks.

"Planexit" leads us off. It opens with a heavy riff, bass notes and drums. The pace is mid-tempo/slow. The vocals are somewhat relaxed, but the vocalist has a decent range, and when he wants to belt, the earth shakes. The bass work is also quite prominent, which is often a feature of the genre. "Mamarse" is a shorter track, beginning with fast-moving bass notes and drums. This song is a little bit more jovial and features some more melody as well. "Wheelchair" begins with ambient clean tones that take some time to build. The main riff comes in along with some sad, emotional tones in the vocals. There is an eerie fade-out at the end.

"Staring at the Midnight Sun" picks up where the previous track ended, but shifts to a more powerful, grinding riff with smooth and easy vocals in the verses. The majority of the power comes from the very heavy sound in the choruses. "Willow" opens with a drum solo leading to a raucous and energetic sound, with almost playful structures in the verses. The combination of the two sounds are incongruent with one another. The harmonic vocals towards the end shifts the sound once again. "Deceivers" begins with smooth and easy bass guitar notes and some softer vocals. Psychedelic twists and turns run you through a bit of an acid trip at times. It builds in layers through the end, when there is a drop off-the statement was made.

"Revolutionary Lies" is a shorter and faster-moving song with a bluesy swing to it. There is some meter shifting in the pacing and harmonies in the vocals. "Pearl Marmalade" begins with a slower groove of bass guitar and clean rhythms. The vocals are emotive and melodic. It picks up with power as it moves along, complete with some wah-wah in the leads.

"Speed of Shadow" closes the album, with a rousing and heavy sound. It retreats into a smoother and more mellow sound before lashing out one last time. You could loosely call this band somewhat experimental in their approach to songwriting. The unconventional way they connect chords and bars of music is unique, but at their core, they are a throwback to decades long gone by. The only real 90's influence I hear comes mostly in the vocals as opposed to the music. Still, they offer some originality and genre bending in their music. You really can't peg their style completely. This was a fun album to explore.