Browsing Tag

Psych Rock

Mario Deschenes as OneSelf Set Soul Spinning Through 60s Psych Rock Kaleidoscopes in ‘Unicitude’

Posted on 28 April 2025
Versions 'N' Not 8 by OneSelf Featuring Mario Deschenes

OneSelf’s latest seminal release, Unicitude, which translates to ‘Unique Link’, swings rock back into the 60s as so much more than a sonic pitstop; it’s a reincarnation of the shaking, rattling, rolling kaleidoscopes of soul that sparked a movement still reverberating with momentum 60 years later. With a garagey rock production giving the track a raucous bite and psychedelic carousels of colours contouring through the harmonised melodies, it’s impossible not to get in the groove with Unicitude. The vocal presence is a dualistic dream; there’s no tearing the rock renegade energy from the lyrics, regardless of the sticky-sweet proclivities that envelop the performance.

OneSelf created Unicitude as a force that reconnects the soulful rawness of yesteryear with the imagination of the present, setting a new standard for how rock and soul can collide and reawaken.

Mario Deschenes, the mastermind behind OneSelf, is a multidisciplinary artist who has spent over four decades weaving his authentic and original creativity across music, painting, and videography. With seven albums released under his name and another set for release in September 2025, Mario’s music is an extension of his visual art, infused with the same vibrant essence. His catalogue spans over 91 songs and 42 videos, a testament to his enduring commitment to artistic expression through every medium he touches.

Unicitude is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Bandcamp. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Glorious Years’ ‘The Darkest Universe’: A Psychedelic Prism Illuminating Post-Punk Nihilism

Posted on 25 April 2025
The Glorious Years

With their debut single, ‘The Darkest Universe‘, The Glorious Years opens a portal to a sonic galaxy where psych, krautrock, new wave, and post-punk coalesce into an aurally rich twilight. Co-produced by the band alongside Euan Hinshelwood (Cate le Bon, Half Japanese), this introduction marks the first glimpse into their upcoming album, ‘Something Beautiful Beyond’.

From the chorally opulent vocals that refract gently through the synth lines, to the subtle yet unwavering melodic pull from the guitars, each note maintains a meticulous tension. The single unravels as an exploration of tonal and textural contrasts—a kaleidoscopic prism of colour chillingly distorted by angular post-punk echoes and distinct influences from 70s and 80s sonic epochs.

There is an irreplicable comfort in the way guitars guide listeners through The Glorious Years’ alchemically orchestrated cosmos while the vocals adjust the listener’s perspective between shadows and illumination. Amidst its layers of nihilism and existential introspection, ‘The Darkest Universe’ acts as an open invitation to briefly abandon reality’s monotony for something more expansive, surreal, and profoundly human.

The Glorious Years set their creative compass towards something uniquely consoling yet philosophically provocative, solidifying their potential as a band adept in traversing the deeper spaces of alternative music.

‘The Darkest Universe’ is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

FGA Hits the Open Road at Full Throttle with ‘Hitchhiker’

Posted on 27 February 2025

FGA didn’t reinvent the wheel with his latest single; he gripped it tight and veered classic rock motifs into uncharted territory. ‘Hitchhiker’ is the sound of the open road—untamed, unpredictable, and impossible to resist. From the moment the hypersonically infectious energy kicks in, the kaleidoscope of honeyed riffs and magnetically rallying vocals lock into a momentum that effervesces with soul. Every note carries the free spirit of its protagonist, nothing is tethered, and everything feels effortlessly unshackled.

With the raw nostalgia of tape-recorded rock and the exhilaration of an all-gas-no-brakes production, the track cruises through psychedelia-tinged rhythms that nod to ‘60s surf rock pioneers while charging forward with the force of modern alternative rock. Dan Konopka’s (OK GO) irreplicable percussion adds an infectious dynamic to the track, ensuring indie kids and those who kneel at the altar of unadulterated rock will find plenty of reasons to affix Hitchhiker to their playlists. 

Freddie Gibbs—the Texas-born force behind FGA—has spent years distilling a lifetime of musical education into his craft. Raised on a record collection spanning Led Zeppelin to Pearl Jam, his songwriting carries the weight of experience, shaped by nights spent playing Austin’s underground scene and road-tripping into the unknown. Now working from his home studio, his music lands somewhere between grunge’s bruised introspection and stoner rock’s freewheeling escapism.

‘Hitchhiker’ is a track built for windows-down abandon, a reminder that the road ahead is always calling. It’s now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Transcendent Discord: Ficus Unveils Psychedelic Alchemy in ‘Resonation Room’

Posted on 27 November 2024

Warp your rhythmic pulses with Ficus’ double A-side release, Resonation Room. After dialling the mystic beguile up to 11 with angular Eastern guitars, the title single unravels as a progressive hybrid of psychedelia and sludgy stoner rock that electrifies the senses with intense reverberations of distortion which swallow the heavy riffs.

Setting themselves apart from your average raconteurs of kaleidoscopic rancour the Michigan-hailing powerhouse wraps an aura of transcendence around the discordance, building an arcane monument of aural alchemy that any psych rock fans will want to kneel at the altar of. With harmonies which carry as much mysticism as the grooves and pockets of ambience in their instrumental arrangement, the Ficus effect is visceral on every conceivable level.

After touring with the likes of Levitation Room, Chirp, Desmond Jones, Triptides, Consider the Source and North by North, Ficus have become renowned for their live performances which light the way to tonal nirvana. Equally as entrancing on record, it is only a matter of time before Ficus is internationally recognised as a premier psych rock ensemble.

Resonation Room is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

NIGHT WHIP shot from the hip in their 16-minute psychedelic western eponymous debut single

Posted on 28 June 2024
NIGHT WHIP

Emerging from the arid expanse of Western Colorado, NIGHT WHIP cast aside all semblances of convention with their electrifyingly debauched eponymous debut single which spans 16 minutes and stretches the mind even further.

If you ever wanted to know what a synthesis of sludge, doom and psych rock would sound like filtered through Tarantino’s cinematic lens, hit play and sink into the tour de force of tonal alchemy, which is far more potent than any substance sampled in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

The track deftly balances dusky desert atmospheres with the rhythmic intensity reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age and the tight licks characteristic of Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster. As NIGHT WHIP tears through their inhibitions, the explosive doom metal breakdowns and relentless rhythmic drive culminate in a deeply authentic and unflinching score.

Formed in 2018 by Griff Chiono and Colin Keefe as a side project of the alt-punk band Bronco Country, NIGHT WHIP has rapidly become a staple in the local music scene. Their sound, described aptly as “heavy western,” captures the profound isolation of small desert towns with its distorted baritone guitars, relentless drums, trippy electronics, and hauntingly layered vocals.

Set to release on June 28th, 2024, under the band’s label, Bureaucracy Records, Night Whip is poised to cast a long shadow over the alternative music landscape. Discover your preferred way to listen via the band’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Emotional Chaos Unravels in the Melancholy of Magenta Wave’s Indie Rock Allegory, Why Am I In Love With You

Posted on 17 April 2024

Magenta Wave’s latest single, “Why Am I In Love With You,” vocally tears at the heartstrings with a fervency akin to Thom Yorke and Frightened Rabbit’s Scott Hutchinson. This track is an atom bomb of melancholy that flips the usual narrative of romanticism upside down. It melodically implores listeners to explore the agony of falling in love when your relationship with yourself is on unsteady ground.

With the guitars sonically visualising the disorientation of losing control under another’s influence, and the rhythm section driving this tormented vignette forward, the vocals find an achingly affecting hallowed ground to project their agony over. The soaring, vintage-toned guitar solos resonate like a battle cry from a scarred soul, marking Magenta Wave’s unparalleled ability to shake up the indie rock scene with their ingenuity and sincerity.

This piece is the second single from their upcoming EP, “Sold My Soul,” mastered by Ed Brooks, known for his work with Pearl Jam and Death Cab for Cutie. It is an essential listen for anyone who still finds sanctuary in the candour and inhibition of indie rock.

Magenta Wave, having become legends in Bellingham, WA, before moving to Seattle, continues to blend alternative, indie, and psychedelic rock in their unique sound, making “Why Am I In Love With You” a poignant reflection on love and self-discovery

Why Am I In Love With You was officially released on April 12th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ren Ashfield and the Magicians – Geronimo: A One Way Track to Nirvana

Posted on 3 April 2024

Genre fluidity is one thing, genre sorcery is quite another; find the difference by delving into one of the seminal singles, Geronimo, from Ren Ashfield and the Magicians’ unmissable LP, Sonic Creations.

Starting with a groove which melds Motown-reminiscent basslines with gospel-esque bluesy shimmering organs before rock inclinations are licked into the production by the audaciously brashy guitars, Geronimo is a riot of alchemic ingenuity before the first chorus hits. You’ll know when it does; the synths kick up a frenetically dance-y 80s storm before psych folk elements entwine with them to lace the polyphonic aesthetics with organic elements for a truly mind-melting experience.

It took a talented vocalist to tame the sonic beast which is Geronimo, but Ren Ashfield’s naturally commanding vocal lines blazed across the unchartered territory with unfaltering ease, pulling you deeper into the production, ensuring that by the time the guitar solo starts to tear through the atmosphere, it will lead you to nirvana as it endlessly ascends.

Stream the Sonic Creations LP on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Psychosomatik amplified a high-octane alt-rock revelation with their latest release, Slow Motion

Posted on 18 March 2024
Slow Motion by Psychosomatik

Psychosomatik’s latest single, ‘Slow Motion‘, erupts from the speakers with a ferocity that belies its title. This Miami-based rock duo, Edison and Noah, have distilled their diverse universe of influences into a potent mix of alt-rock, psych-rock, and progressive elements, culminating in a track that’s both a nod to rock’s rich history and a bold step into its future.

From the first chord, ‘Slow Motion’ ignites a sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s rhythmic allure and the Black Keys’ mastery of reinvented rock. Yet, Psychosomatik’s sound is unmistakably their own. The track is a masterclass in controlled chaos, weaving the slick, seductive elements of Velvet Revolver with a grungy, prog edge.

‘Slow Motion’ is a journey through the duo’s “personal hell”, a character study born from a dark, troubled winter. The track’s power lies in its raw, unfiltered emotion; the unholy release will leave you praying at the altar of the ingenuity of the duo. With every groove, you’re inseparably combined from the momentum as it ebbs and flows, pummelling you down into the grungy depths before bringing you up with the soaring riffs and vocal lines.

Slow Motion dropped on March 13; stream and purchase the single on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Master Splinter – Ronin (Cross the Sea): An Alt-Rock Allegory for Resilience and Hope

Posted on 1 March 2024

We have always expected the unexpected with Master Splinter, and still, they managed to catch us off-guard with their evocatively expansive, melodically compelling latest alt-rock single, Ronin (Cross the Sea).

Even though they’ve stayed consistent in their tendency to use fantasy tales as conduits for emotional expression, beyond the histrionics in the vocal performance, the tale of the story unravels as a heart-wrenching allegory for emotional upheaval and hard-fought battles which leave you depleted and raw.

The instrumental builds and breaks decorate the grungy hit with a sense of furore that serves to amplify the lyrical messages of resilience in the face of almost certain destruction. Tune into the release and lock into an experimentally sludgy rock opera that delivers a message of hope.

In an era when optimism can all too easily feel like the outlook of the naïve, there are profound lessons to take from Ronin (Cross the Sea). But the biggest takeaway is that Master Splinter, with this newfound vulnerability, is one of the best alt-rock outfits to follow in 2024.

In Master Splinter’s own words:

“The story is about a samurai who is in a losing battle and his master is killed. When a samurai is without a master, he becomes “ronin”, which in Japanese vaguely translates to something like “lost warrior”. The land he called home is overtaken by enemies and forced to flee, he takes to the sea. He lands on an unfamiliar shore and sees that this land is also stricken with war. He does the only thing he knows how and joins in the fight against the invaders. The warrior is gravely injured and falls to the ground, accepting his fate and loses consciousness. But, when he awakens, he discovers that he’s been nursed back to health by a mysterious man who becomes his new master and grants him a magical katana that the warrior wields with newfound strength. The story ends ambiguously but is meant to express triumph.”

Ronin (Cross the Sea) will hit the airwaves and exhibit a softer side to the Portland-hailing psychedelic Senseis on March 1st. Stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Bag of Cats ignited a firestorm of twisted genre contortions in their dance-punk hit, Devil at My Houseparty

Posted on 26 February 2024

If you never got over the disbanding of the Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, wipe your tears with the kinetic rhythms in the seminal single from the Welsh dance-punk duo, Bag of Cats.

Devil at My Houseparty, featuring Will Griff, is a mind-mashing blend of psych, garage rock and proto-punk, all pulled together by punk-pierced guitar loops and alt-electronica synthetics that augment the anthemic track to the nines.

Between the rolling rhythms, distorted blues riffs, and caustically infectious electronic elements inspired by the likes of LCD Soundsystem and Jamie T, Devil at My Houseparty is a firestorm of twisted genre contortions that will make your pulse pound and get the adrenaline flowing.

The magnetic appeal of the duo comprising Sophie Holliday and Barney Williams doesn’t end there; lyrically and vocally, Bag of Cats, couldn’t be more ensnaring. They’ve perfected the formula of playfully roguish swagger. The mischievously jocular vibe is definitively rock n roll, just not rock n roll as you’ve known it before.

In the process of giving the Welsh music scene more than it bargained for, Bag of Cats has garnered a staunch fanbase which only seems to grow with every release and livewire performance.

Devil at My Houseparty is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast