Plastiq is the surrealist, contemporary music project by Moses Carr and Quartz Pistol in collaboration with digital artist/cinematographer CAPITAL WASTE.  Plastiq delves into possible future outcomes for life in the anthropocene through their compositions and live performance. Their idiosyncratic blend of pop music, IDM, film soundtracks and visceral otherworldly production is paired with an apocalyptic virtual world in which their digital doubles inhabit.

The live show unveils the inner layers of Plastiq’s lore and sonic environment. Moses’ signature thumping drums and expectation-defying arrangements are counterbalanced with Quartz Pistol’s live processed and sweetly urgent vocals. The audience, at any given moment, can land anywhere between a poignant heartbreaking apocalypse ballad or a floor-shaking industrial explosion. Digital artist CAPITAL WASTE performs alongside the musicians on stage conjuring a virtual apocalyptic world on screen that is controlled and explored in real time.

They have performed in spaces such as The NGV, Melbourne, AGSA Adelaide and extrapolated their music video ‘killer’ into a digital art exhibition presented at The Light Room Gallery ILA, Adelaide (2023). Plastiq have released 4 singles to critical acclaim with Triple J airplay and circulation on MTV Hits. In 2023 they received ‘Best Experimental’ in the Nottingham Music Video Awards UK for their music video ‘killer’. 

Two times SA Music Award winner for experimental and electronic releases Abbey Howlett is the vocalist and costume designer for Plastiq. In 2016 she was mentored by renowned artist Mo’ju and went on to front multiple Naarm bands and create her solo project Quartz Pistol. Quartz Pistol has toured internationally and performed at festivals such as WOMADelaide, St Jerome’s Laneway, Golden Plains, Rising and more. 

Producer, composer and instrumentalist Moses Carr has worked closely with many local artists including; Emma Volard, Empress, Elle Shimada, Barney McAll, Mo Louie, Esther Henderson, Evening News, Kid Heron and Franko Gonzo. He has also toured as a sound designer with Polyglot theatre company, scored multiple theatre shows for POPOMOCO and worked on many local short films including winning a Screen Music Award in 2023 for a collaborative score (with Alex Olijnyk) for ‘My Bubble Wrapped Exorcism’.

Digital artist CAPITAL WASTE PICTURES utilises emergent technologies to spawn digital versions of Quartz and Moses’ characters in a virtual apocalyptic space. Together they explore these technologies on stage in a live capacity. CAPITAL WASTE’S work often circulates around inputting the beautiful imperfections of the human experience into digital space.

Plastiq have just released their line of hand-made merchandise called ‘Plastiq Bagz’. They have two singles and an EP set for release in 2025 as well as a tour of ‘Plastiq Universe’ events. 

This collaboration hopes to deliver something new to the contemporary music landscape. Their DIY approach to merchandise, costume and PR evolves from their roots in punk culture and theatre adjacent performance. With backing from the Music Development Office in South Australia they are currently undergoing development to produce an immersive live show with a sonic and visual narrative that represents the failings of late stage capitalism and the critical need to reconnect humans to our natural ecology.