Browsing Tag

Psych

KLDD is a vision in kaleidoscopic colour in their indie-psych hit, Little Help (Today)

Posted on 24 March 2023

Cruising in like a psychedelic Cadillac, the Dublin-based dreamers, KLDD paid homage to the Manchester indie greats in their latest single, Little Help (Today). The sounds of The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays shimmer through the scintillatingly sharp melodies, which leave the low timbres to the basslines and the transcendent euphoria to the colourfully kaleidoscopic guitar lines.

The outfit may have banded together through a love of dirty riffs, but the groove-driven décor of this elevated postcard to the Manchester icons, which pushes beyond a transfixion on the past, soars higher than Noel Gallagher and the High Flying Birds.

For a sure-fire fix of serotonin, stream Little Help (Today) from March 24th via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Psychosomatik showed their psych-rock ‘Roots’ in their progressively electric single.

Posted on 19 March 2023
Psychosomatik by Psychosomatik

Miami psych rock pioneers Psychosomatik warmed up the vintage overdriven tones to match their sun-bleached climate in their latest progressively surfy single, Roots.

If Pavement saw a little more sun, I’m entirely convinced that Brighten the Corners would have emanated the same colourful radiance of Roots, which hit the airwaves on March 13th. The influences of The Doors and The Beatles are also easy to note in the kaleidoscopic grooves of the release from the independent duo, which amalgamates influences from a wide range of artists and genres to orchestrate a sound that couldn’t be more authentic.

Experimentalism and accessibility don’t always come hand in hand; it stands as a testament to Psychosomatik’s songwriting chops that Roots is a hit that you’ll want to dig deep to immerse yourselves in from the first hit. The vibe couldn’t be sweeter.

Roots is now available to stream and purchase on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Marlon Bianco Dials Major Tom in His Psychy Jazz-Funk Feat of Sonic Dystopia, Planet Coronet

Posted on 17 March 2023
https://soundcloud.com/user-277095369/planet-coronet/s-9FqWUOnhS3h?si=51dc22e2904242f797dc135424286ab8&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

With a tonal palette spacey enough it wouldn’t be out of place spinning on a turntable in the TARDIS in a vintage Dr Who episode, Marlon Bianco’s take on psychedelic jazz-funk in his latest release, Planet Coronet, will have you transcending into outer space from the first synthy oscillating note.

Bianco took care of every instrumental, bar the reverently jazzy sax lines laid down by Jonny Chung, who well and truly embodies the spirit of jazz to bring you back down from the astral plane the synthetics have transported you to.

Unlike many of the lockdown-born projects, the solo endeavour from the North London-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, which started by laying a few chords down on a Roland keyboard, Bianco is an artist the airwaves would cry out for if silence should fall around his ingenuity.

His dystopia-encompassing sounds are reminiscent of the alien times we find ourselves insulated within, but it’s hard to shed a tear when the end sounds so euphonically sweet.

Planet Coronet will officially release via Other Planet Records on March 17th. Catch it on Soundcloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Smooth Retsina Glow orchestrated a psych-pop sonic sugar rush with their latest single, Overcoming

Posted on 12 March 2023

After Smooth Retsina Glow got ‘Metaphysical’ with their third album in 2022, they’ve rivalled the psychedelic soul of the Flaming Lips in their latest single, Overcoming.

Sarah Stoll’s vocals effortlessly fuse into the technicolour tones of the psych-pop synths and the guitars that bring a pinch of angular new-wave indie melodicism to the release. If that wasn’t enough sticky-sweet nectar to melt into, the Beach Boys-ESQUE vocal harmonies are sure to strip the malady out of the weariest souls.

The Lehigh Valley award-winning act has been picking up the accolades left, right, and centre in recent years. Undoubtedly, Overcoming will earn the outfit that started in 2019 a few more. The boundless creativity paired with the optimistically bright lyricism, which proves that everyone can take control of their perception, created a serotonin-soaked playlist staple for anyone who wants to hang on to their sanity and optimise their mortal coils.

Stream Overcoming on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

mooncrüe have made their psychedelically existential debut with the spacey alt-electro hit, Animal

Posted on 6 March 2023

Alt-electronica originators mooncrüe went heavy on the philosophy which will be as euphonic to existential ears as the kaleidoscopic synth-pop beats in their debut single, Animal.

If you have ever looked at the lesser-aware species that roam this scorched earth with us with envy for their habitual simplicity; you will find visceral resonance in this mix. Animal leaves the highs to the instrumentals, and the realism within the lyricism that becomes even more astute with every listen to the spacey psychedelic score.

It isn’t every day that you discover a debut that leaves you desperate for the sophomore, but clearly, the indie psychonauts within this devilishly clever outfit are anything but your run-of-the-mill aural peddlers. They’re on their very own spacey plateau. Hit play and join them.

Animal is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The waters of surf rock darkened under the psychedelic experimentalism of DETHHAUS in their latest single, And You

Posted on 26 January 2023

Take a psychedelic trip with the single, And You, from DETHHAUS’ double A-side, deathaus 2. Every time you think you’ve got their sound pinned down, there’s another aural curveball to broadside you and deliver you from the sonic monotony of easily pigeon-holed music.

if you can imagine what it would sound like if you slipped a tab of acid under the tongue of surf rock, implanted a few polyphonic grooves under the waves and threw in the crux of Zappa’s eccentricity, you’ll get an idea of what alchemically awaits when you hit play on this murky mesmeric feat of experimentalism.

After starting as a bass-centred surf rock duo, consisting of Johnny Void (X-Ray Youth) and Justin Welsh (Elastica), DETHHAUS indoctrinated Raiko Mud and his keys to start a new venture that would take the outfit across borders as they recorded this new single between Central Florida and England.

Stream And You on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lewis & Ford advocate the artistic life in their addictive reggae-dubbed psych-pop single, Radio

Posted on 1 November 2022

After refusing to bow to social pressures and shack up in a life of drab uniform domesticity, the LA duo Lewis & Ford released the sweet feat of reggae-dubbed ear candy, Radio. For every artist that has remained committed to their creative life to the disdain of loved ones, the stridently euphoric track is a sure-fire hit of vindication.

In Lewis & Ford’s taking-no-prisoners high-vibe lyrical style, they versed “I won’t ever be like them and never leave this town, cause I can’t hear them hatin’ while my band is playing a stadium, you’re gonna hear me on the radio” as the ultimate middle finger with a smile affirmation that autonomy is as beautiful as the lush psych surf harmonies and dreamy melodies. While the rhythms pop, Americana roots contort around the kaleidoscopic colour in the galvanising tonal palette.

Stream Radio on YouTube, and follow Lewis & Ford on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sound Animal sang a liminal lullaby in her ethereal experimental piece, A Life

Posted on 30 October 2022

Taken from her upcoming experimental solo album, Sound Animal’s arcanely euphonic single, A Life, is an all too intriguing teaser for the psychedelically exploratory alchemy that is sure to follow.

With its hallowed structures, the Berkley, California artist pushed lush reverb into unchartered ethereal waters. Through synths and sermonic non-lexical vocals that combine to create an otherworldly listening experience, A Life will easily take you out of the physical realm into a space decorated with liminal sonic symbolism.

Stream A Life on SoundCloud and save the date for the album, which will release on Bandcamp on SoundCloud on December 7th, before being distributed on December 15th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Happened Again: Denver’s Magnolia Grove feels that afternoon haze on Again

Posted on 25 September 2022

Sensing that strange emotion that seeps your attention into the past as you try to dust those fears away, Magnolia Grove shows us what we have been missing to fully heal from past misfortunes on Again.

Magnolia Grove is a Denver, Colorado-based indie psych band who groove up the cores of so many previously lost hearts with their cinematically nostalgic brilliance.

Embracing that moment that changed everything, the speaker huggers return. Magnolia Grove is their name and you better not forget it. If you have ever dazed your mind away at 2am with a tough decision to make, you will feel your heart shaking slightly.

Showing us their reinvigoration inside a soul-meltingly breathtaking solo dripped melody to cause a pulse to double, this is a sweet spot to truly get lost inside. Looking for warmer weather, this could be a soundtrack for any season where things need to change quickly for the better to resume.

Again from Denver, Colorado-based indie psych band Magnolia Grove is a definite playlist keeper if there ever was one. Drenched with that honest ambiance of a group who just seem to gel just right. There is so much to love about a song that changes your mood like you just forgot what you were formerly upset about.

Listen up on Spotify and view the social vibes on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Aim High: HYG urges us to float into the sky on their elevated new track Memory of Flight

Posted on 19 August 2022

Advising us to let the feeling shine through no matter what challenges, HYG shall take you into a whole new world where no one will ever find you on Memory of Flight.

HYG is a Canberra, Australia-based indie experimental psych rock band who returns after their previous release in 2022 called Into the New World.

”I wrote the lyrics after getting stuck in lockdown and reminiscing about times I’d travelled, and it kind of went from there.
It was a really calm moment; it was a pretty empty flight and for a moment there I was all on my own, with a few other people, 30,000 feet above the ground and hundreds of kilometres from the next-closest people. Everything felt good, which was nice.” ~ HYG

Recorded with the help of Canberra-based producer Louis Montgomery (SAFIA, Peking Duk, Slow Turismo), HYG has made a real gem to hold on to tightly here. Packed with quality from one of the more exciting acts around, there is a disco-psych vibe to be enthused by in droves on this soul-healing track.

Memory of Flight from Canberra, Australia-based indie experimental psych rock band HYG is such a soothing song that will probably put you into a better frame of mind. With ear-catching vocals and a wonderful ambience that might have you tapping your feet and stretching your toes, this is a cloud-floating single to close your eyes with.

Listen up to this new single on Spotify and see more on the IG page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen