Music Review: Syne - Plato's Cave

Syne, a Mexican-American based in Houston, TX, clearly seeks to mine his own brokenness for passion, living-life-to-the-fullest passion he unabashedly seeks to share with others who may have struggled with the same kind of issues he unpacks on “Plato’s Cave”. For someone who loves learning about astrophysics, philosophy, mythology, and many other topics, his new single achieves the catharsis he seeks and provides therapeutic release for many. Honest rap confessions are used to address self-doubt, failures, misgivings and deeper struggles in a modern, capitalist world. But, the height of artistry comes with the soaring chorus and where Syne’s mighty, swelling production washes over him and gives himself enough space between syllables to breathe and hit those high notes.

Syne is a genuinely engaging artist who not only makes music but goes above and beyond by creating concepts and designs for his own videos with impressive intensity and clarity. It’s hard to believe that all this talent is packed into one person. On the animated video for “Plato’s Cave”, he clearly illustrates his confrontation with pent up sadness about society’s influence over him head-on, and it’s easy to identify with his struggles as he gets caught up in the trivial things of life. For a song about hopes and dreams, “Plato’s Cave” certainly contains a lot of exterior and interior texture.

The animated video truly helps in visualizing ones thoughts towards the situation. As the artist puts it, “[Plato’s Cave] tells the story of a boy (Syne) who longs to go sailing with his friends but is guided away by a father-time-like character (Mr. Pendlum) towards the realities of society.” The pressure to be, do, and have, mounts on all sides. It’s an image that effectively—and jarringly—expresses Syne’s heartfelt message here: the desire to free oneself from self-constructed mental and emotional prisons, contrasted with the admission that freedom can sometimes be difficult to secure. But as the video ends, “[Syne] becomes a ghost, where he returns to his true passion and sails away with his friends.”

It shows the artist locked in a warped reality of who he becomes over time. It’s laced with brutal honesty, depth of emotion, graphic metaphors and copious introspection—all of which move in an ultimately redemptive direction. Never shying from sad thoughts or inner demons, Syne showcases the struggles of pursuing true happiness, even though when one is successful according to society’s definition. On “Plato’s Cave” self-awareness shows up in many places, where the artist notices his alienation from his true self over time. The result is indisputably raw, unapologetic and confessional. At times, wincingly so.