Plato III blends rap, indie & a Daniel Johnston cover on debut single for Polyvinyl ft. Mike Kinsella

Abilene, TX artist Plato III (aka Ryan Silva) cites both Black Star and Modest Mouse as core influences, and you can hear that coming through in his unique hip hop/indie rock crossover. He just signed to Polyvinyl, and his release for the label is the two-song single “Give ‘Em Hell” / “It’s Alright, It’s Okay,” which also includes a partial cover of Daniel Johnston’s “Spirit World Rising” that features his Polyvinyl labelmate Mike Kinsella (American Football, Owen).

“When I learned that Abilene served as the birthplace of [Daniel Johnston’s] mental health issues, I felt I had found a kindred spirit, someone who battled the same demons as I did, and I wanted to channel his experience to tell my story,” Ryan said.

Speaking about “Give ‘Em Hell,” he said, “Nobody has ever made it coming from where I’m from. We have talent, but we don’t have a rich musical history with a recognizable sound. I wanted to create a sound that uniquely represented the iconography and lifestyle of West Texas. The result speaks to the sense of urgency and pressure that is felt when living a life on the margins.”

And about “It’s Alright, It’s Okay,” he added, “I wanted to combine the hopelessness and vulnerability I love about my favorite emo songs with the hyper-aggression and culture of violence that is present in my favorite hip-hop music in order to hopefully provide insight into the mind of the people that the system has failed.”

Watch a video for both songs below. Plato III was also confirmed for SXSW.