ALBUM REVIEW: platypus, Origin of Species

We've had our eye on Perth prog rock band platypus ever since their debut single Black holes. Now the trio have released their first EP, Origin of Species.

Across four tracks, the EP asks where life and consciousness come from, and what we are doing to the planet that produced us.

Opening with Elevate, we begin looking back at an earth that is broken - until a single cell divides and life begins to spread. The track moves from a quiet sense of longing to a strength in dissonance.

With Currents we move into a drifting limbo, floating beneath the firmament as the ice caps creep in. The track has a slow, disorienting feel, as the narrator comes to the realisation that ‘all that’s left is time.'

Prehistoric is an instrumental track that takes us on a trip through deep time, spiralling through the ages and featuring a primal crocodile roar.

Closing track Continental Drift explores the slow and invisible forces of change, with distorted textures and mechanical rhythms suggesting both tectonic movement and industrial encroachment. There is unease throughout, but it ends on a note of hope when ‘our consciousness returns.’

The EP's recurring imagery of deep geological time coupled with the combination of heavy, guitar-driven sections and dynamic acoustic passages, make this an awe-inspiring exploration of evolution and environmentalism. 

In sum:

ALBUM: Origin of Species

ARTIST: platypus

RELEASE DATE: October 1, 2026

GENRE: Prog rock

RECOMMENDED FOR: Fans of Karnivool, Porcupine Tree and Tool

Listen to Origin of Species and follow platypus on Instagram.