Toronto’s Adam Marek Platek aka MISSING PET stitches his world back together with industrial pop EP, Sentimental Germ
MISSING PET germinated out of the sludge of the pandemic as a series of experimental genre-fluid alt-pop singles in 2021, and has evolved into a unique solo songwriting project spearheaded by Montreal-born, Toronto-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
Adam Marek Platek.
“During the pandemic, I felt like a house pet trapped in an unnatural habitat of my own making. I realized then that something felt off, and was uncomfortably missing in the life I had spent more than a decade creating.”
Forced to stare deeply into the mirror of lockdown reflection and begin to see life as it truly was, MISSING PET investigates the core of what it means to be accomplished and happy, and what we need to feel accepted, understood, and complete. Aren’t we all missing something? Whether it’s a caress, an opportunity, or a connection – MISSING PET asks what is at the core of what we want to feel accomplished and to be happy and what we need to feel accepted, understood, and completed.
With the grievous ending of a lengthy personal relationship and the subsequent implosion of his former electro-rock quartet this past spring, Adam dove back into songwriting to cope with this reemerging and familiar sense of loss and desolation and the messy repercussions of a dream that had come to a painful end:
“When everything felt like it was falling apart, music was always my safe haven. My songs have been able to support me; give me the best advice and clarity that not even my Mom or best friends could provide.”
With his world in freefall, Adam found his wings as a series of songs of self-examination, which would become the Sentimental Germ EP:
“I began to think of myself as a foreign entity in my own life looking to be understood and accepted, yet shunned and avoided by those I wanted to be closest to. As a romantic and idealist, accepting the notion that there really is no forever was jarring for me. It was challenging to just ‘move on’. Although this chapter was done, the paper cuts of what went wrong stayed on my fingertips with everything I touched.”
Drawing eclectic influences from Mozart’s Requiem to Nine Inch Nails to The Clash to 80s synthpop and 90s rave, MISSING PET’s new extended play release Sentimental Germ EP highlights Adam’s examination of disappointment, along with the difficult realization that no one can will their world into the precise shape that they desire. More poignantly, Adam tackles the acceptance that perhaps love itself isn’t always enough:
“It’s easy to fall in love; we’ve all been there, but how do you climb out of love? This album tries to answer that”.
Adam sets the tone of the EP with the lead track “Bad Vibes Only”, a hypnotic and booming techno-based track driven by his snarling and angsty vocals. From there, Adam dives into the spooky funhouse vibes of “I Used To Care”, featuring punchy electric guitar with bouncy electro beats. “Hit Where It Hurts” introduces some unexpected acoustic guitar, building tension until its undeniably catchy chorus contemplates: “You don’t hate me / You don’t love me / But I feel it / Why you gotta hit where it hurts?”. The EP’s final track, “Papercuts,” will leave you breathless with zooming breakbeats and the EP’s most sinister tone yet.
First off care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi – my name is Adam Marek Platek and I started MISSING PET during the sludge of the pandemic as a series of experimental genre-fluid alt-pop singles in 2021. It has evolved into a solo songwriting project that blends rock, pop, electronic and industrial influences into what I hope is a unique style.
Tell us a bit about your recent release.
With the ending of a lengthy personal relationship and the subsequent implosion of my former electro-rock quartet this past spring, I dove back into songwriting to cope with this reemerging and familiar sense of loss and desolation last experienced during the pandemic. I began to think of myself as a foreign entity in my own life looking to be understood and accepted, yet shunned and avoided by those I wanted to be closest to. It was challenging to just ‘move on’. Although this chapter was done, the paper cuts of what went wrong stayed on my fingertips with everything I touched and would become the “Sentimental Germ” EP.
How do you typically go about the songwriting process? Do you have a specific method or creative routine that you follow?
I constantly collect ideas. Anything that sounds cool or weird or interesting that I read or hear or think of – I always jot into my songwriting journal. I think of songwriting like a bird building a nest, and so I’m always picking up twigs and sticks and leaves in the hopes that they might contribute to the project. I find that once I have enough material collected, the songs usually find a natural way to weave themselves together into a form that works.
Looking ahead, what are your plans for supporting this new release? Are there any upcoming tours, music videos, or additional content that fans can look forward to in connection with this project?
I am currently recording a music video independently for my debut single, “Bad Vibes Only”. The concept is to play with the line between light and darkness; white and black; appearance and reality; comfort and pain. My talented friend Nova and I pulled an all-nighter filming it in one session, using mirrors and lenses to create kaleidoscopic and psychedelic effects using natural light with no post-production effects. It should be out this September.
Looking back on your musical career, is there a particular moment or accomplishment that you consider a turning point or a highlight?
I had the opportunity to work with Mark Plati in NYC back in 2005. He’s a masterful musician and producer who co-wrote and played with David Bowie (my fave!), and so to be able to make music with him will always be one of my highlights. Interestingly, on that same trip, I also met my teenage idol Jarvis Cocker (singer of PULP) randomly walking on the street, which was a dream come true.
Last but not least, it’s time to pay it forward, what upcoming band or artist would you recommend your fans check out?
I adore a band called Breeze, and had the pleasure of working with Josh Korody, a member of Breeze on my new “Sentimental Germ EP”. Josh is an excellent songwriter and has an incomparable way of bridging different genres together, and he was the perfect collaborator to bring the edge and grit and energy that I was looking to capture with my release.