Review Summary: Soulful, wanky prog metal
I, a split EP between Plini and Sithu Aye features two instrumental songs from each respective artist clocking at roughly 20 minutes. While all songs are quite impressive, Plini never fails to deliver his best, and gives a stronger performance both technically and songwriting wise. "Rupture" (by Plini), is my favorite here, and with its dynamic shift between the main mammoth riff and quieter sections. Plini also spices it up with his signature orchestral layers, giving it that extra layer of epicness. While I'm praising Plini for his music, Sithu Aye also presents two songs, more varied in style than Plini's. Sithu Aye tends to focus less on the metal aspect of the music, for example how "Solstice" flirts with funk and "Moonrise" with electronica in the second half. "Solstice" is the best of the two, with its infectiously catchy riffs and generally happy sound, albeit different "happy" from Plini's uplifting and melodic "happy".
Because the EP was recorded in two different studios on the opposite side of the globe, the production qualities are somewhat different. Plini's sound is mixed lower, with a slightly muddy tinge, but it's still easy to differ instruments and where they're coming from. Sithu Aye's songs suffer from loudness, and therefore a loss of dynamic range. For example, "Solstice" and "Moonrise" will make your ears hurt more with the same volume throughout the album, and makes the sound seem like more of a wall than a room. However, these points are negligible because of how strong these songs still are, along with Plini's. While all the songs aren't revolutionary in either artist's discography, they're still a neat addition, and on par with their other work. If you haven't guessed already, "Rupture" is my favorite pick off this one, and I definitely recommend that you go spin it, and also the album if you dig it.
