POSTS TAGGED : Psych-Pop

Improvement Movement – ‘It’s a Situation’

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Improvement Movement are an Atlanta-based psychedelic-pop outfit, comprised of Anthony Aparo (guitar, vocals), Zach Pyles (keys, synth), and Tim Friesen (bass).

Formed from the ashes Culture Culture (a synth pop band also based in Atlanta), the trio have earmarked 2018 for releasing a slew of singles, to be followed by a full-length record sometime next year.

It is their most recent single ‘It’s a Situation’ which draws our attention today and in just over three and a half minutes, it encapsulates everything that is endearing about their enigmatic, intriguing and playful approach to kaleidoscopic psych-pop. Flashing along a frenetic drum & bass, coruscating colours, bubbling bassline, spacey synth and all manner of frazzled sounds are thrown about in merry abandon. While musically it is labyrinthine and hypnotic, up top floats soft, hushed and mellow vocals, adding a perfect balance to this whimsical sonic expedition. There is no doubting ‘It’s a Situation’ is unusual but it works, and how!

Listen to ‘It’s a Situation’ below.

Eoin Dolan – ‘Superior Fiction’

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Anytime Galway musician and singer-songwriter Eoin Dolan, one of Ireland’s finest talents as it goes, releases new material, it is a good time.

Dolan recently released a new 4-track EP, Superior Fiction via Citog Records and the EP follows Dolan’s excellent 2016 self-titled debut and second album Ubique, and unsurprisingly, it is all kinds of wonderful.

The EP finds Dolan at the peak of his powers once again. It is a distillation of Dolan’s knack for crafting sci-fi-tinged surf pop, marrying heartbreaking melodies and gentle instrumentation, sadness with beauty and interstellar psych-pop exploration with the imagery and atmosphere of a vintage seaside town. The EP’s lead single and title track – a self-proclaimed “ode to truth” – is equal parts breezy, melodic and catchy. ‘Superior Fiction’ is blends a jolly, jaunty surf-pop sway with woozy keyboard lines, twinkling effects with a harmonic and soft, lilting lyrical sensibility. This marriage of surf and mild psych sounds with the allure and awe of space and sci-fi, not only binds the record together but makes his craft a joy to behold. From the organ led celestial drift of the yearing opener ‘Roman Voice’, to the ‘Brose’ more unsettling and slightly sinister stylised sci-fi pop tones of ‘Brose’ to the delightful closer ‘Lunar Drift’, and its dreamy pastoral, tranquil undulating balladry; it is just magnificent.

Along with Eoin, Superior Fiction features Conor Deasy on guitar/backing vocals, James Casserly on drums and Adam Sheeran on bass, and is out now via Citog Records.

Have a first listen to the title track and EP closer below. The full EP is here.

Whyte Horses – ‘Never Took the Time’

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Manchester psych-pop outfit Whyte Horses whisk us off to a land of blissful, dreamy psychedelia that sounds both familiar yet fresh.

Whyte Horses released their wonderfully uplifting and timeless second album Empty Words back in March and it sounds simultaneously like everything and nothing you’ve ever heard. ‘Never Took the Time’ is the latest single lifted from the record and it displays all the best of what Whyte Horses and their album has to offer you in under four-minutes. Filled with shimmery, wistful, ’60s pop hues, ‘Never Took The Time’ takes us on a swirling, kaleidoscopic journey through all lush psychedelic, hazy, dreamy melodies, eastern guitar twangs and sweeping grandiose orchestral pop. A final and crowning touch of enigmatic beauty is provided by the dual vocals of Leonore Wheatley (The Soundcarriers) and Mélanie Pain (formerly of Nouvelle Vague) – absolutely magical!

‘Never Took The Time’ and its video comes just a mere few weeks before members of The Go! Team will join The Whyte Horses Experience (alongside La Roux, Badly Drawn Boy, Melanie Pain and St Barts Choir) at their huge multi-media, special guest-laden headline show at Royal Festival Hall on September 13th.

As previously mentioned, ‘Never Took The Time’ comes with colourful video directed by James Slater, which you can also stream below. If it is to your liking, you can listen to the latest album here too. Enjoy!

wwoman – ‘FOA’

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wwoman is the moniker of Pittsburgh artist Gi Smee, whose project is self-described as ‘depression pop’.

Smee’s distillation of psych and pop, is anything but depressing. While smouldering with an undercurrent of melancholy, it is smarting a peppy, upbeat psych-pop vibe and hypnotic allure – of which latest single ‘FOA’ is a prime example of. ‘FOA’ swirls together a soft atmosphere with piercing fuzz, and there’s a palpable, frenzied energy steering us through a sea of lush synths. The quivering synths invite us into a dimly lit world of late night street lamps and mid winter fog while the  breathy vocal whisper in to the ears. This is a sublime synth-pop groover with bouncy neon-bright beats and hypnotic allure to capture your imagination.

Listen to ‘FOA’ below:

 

Ead Wood & The Heights – ‘Ignored’

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Bristol’s Ead Wood (aka Ed Soles) & The Heights (aka South London band Margot), have just released new single ‘Ignored’ – and oh my, it is a doozy!

‘Ignored’ is the first track lifted from their new EP titled Beige Dreams and is a bright and breezy three and a half minutes of pristine guitar-pop that rolls along with infectious ease. Opening with The Primitives-esque sparkle, it builds upon enchanting psych-pop origins through a lush blend of sinuous off-kilter melodies, irresistible guitar-jangle and sighing, bittersweet vocals with its lilting chorus to a woozy, laid-back and spaced-out sojourn midway through – before seeing us out as we began with bright and energetic guitar-pop. In truth, it is hard not to be taken by this wonderful slice of guitar-pop perfection. An allure that is charming, enchanting and altogether impossible to resist.

The track is the first from a new EP titled Beige Dreams. Check out ‘Ignored’ below.

Gulp Announce Second LP ‘All Good Wishes’; Share New Single ‘I Dream Of Your Song’

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Gulp, formed by Super Furry Animals’ Guto Pryce, Lindsey Leven and their long standing guitarist Gid Goundrey, have announced their new album All Good Wishes, which is set for release August 3rd via E.L.K Records.

The new album follows up their bewitching 2014 debut Season Sun; a wonderfully charming blend of distilled flashes of psychedelic sunshine, shimmering pastoral pop and breezy psych-folk. Ahead of the new album’s release, it is preceded by lead single ‘I Dream Of Your Song’. It’s a roving, hazy, dream-like affair, blending a swelling shimmer of hazy psych-folk and kraut-pop with a pastoral pop sweetness as Leven’s lulling vocals drift over the ripples of sun flares. A hazy, soothing and altogether wonderful insight to the new album and if it is anything like its predecessor, it will be one of 2018’s finest.

Listen to ‘I Dream Of Your Song’ below now, and drift away…..

All Good Wishes Tracklist:

1. Search For Your Love
2. Claudia
3. Spend Time Right Here With You
4. I Dream of Your Song
5. Beam
6. All Good Wishes
7. Morning Velvet Sky
8. Following Rain
9. Ride
10. Watching Ships
11. Silver Tides

 

Salmone – ‘Half Blind’

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Salmone is an intercontinental affair comprised of two New Yorkers and three Parisians who create, in their own words, “Psychedelic Bossa-Nova”.

On hearing their recently released Swim EP, that description is pretty apt, as is the case with the latest single lifted from the record, ‘Half Blind’. Crated with a laid back flare, it trickles by with an airy, sunny disposition and chilled out bossa nova and jazzy vibes. Bringing some serious summer feels, it is breezy as they come, easily digestible and one of those tunes that will paste a big smile on your face. An absolute delight, it just won’t let you go – you’ll have it on repeat.

Tune into the laid-back intercontinental summer vibes that is ‘Half Blind’ below. And if you care to, you can check out the entire EP here.

Velodrome – ‘His Physique’

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Velodrome is the experimental project of London-based DIY singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kate Evans.

Evans embraces a charming exploration of baroque vocals, layers of melody & quirky lyrics with a lo-fi, retro aesthetic, as demonstrated with formidable dexterity on debut single ‘His Physique’. It’s a transfixing off-kilter concoction of sweet and catchy harmonies and melodies, with offbeat lo-fi psych-pop that playfully bubbles along with a bouncy charm. Evans’ delivery can be gentle, making her seem like the shyest of characters at times while on other occasions, her compelling baroque vocals sweep in to blow everything else out of the water. There is a slightly bonkers strangeness at play too but this musical whimsy probably wouldn’t resonate so much were it not for the moments of melodic sweetness – but thankfully, both are in plentiful supply. A fantastic opening intro to Velodrome and hopefully there’s plenty more brilliant bouts of offbeat lo-fi psych-pop on the horizon.

Listen to ‘His Physique’ below now.

Amber Arcades Announces New Album; Shares ‘Simple Song’

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Dutch musician Annelotte De Graaf aka Amber Arcades will release new album European Heartbreak on September 28th via Heavenly Recordings.

De Graaf quite rightly won widespread acclaim with her sparkling 2016 debut LP, Fading Lines, which not only earmarked Amber Arcades as potent psych-pop prospect but also delivered one of the albums of the year.

For its follow up, European Heartbreak, Amber Arcades has teamed up with Chris Cohen from Deerhoof, and ramping up the anticipation, is a trilogy of videos telling a modern European (love) story, touching on various thoughts and feelings that inspired the new record – the latest taste comes in the form of ‘Simple Song’, marking an evolution from her debut. It danders along broad guitars, gentle synth melodies and warm, swooning swells of delightful brass, all the while, De Graaf ‘s honeyed vocal remains contemplative until rising above a sea of guitar fuzz and layers of mist with the climaxing chorus. Sublime, divine psych-pop – ‘Simple Song’ finds Amber Arcades in fine form and evolving the superlative sound of her wonderful debut.

European Heartbreak is out on September 28th via Heavenly Recordings. For now, check out ‘Simple Song’ below.

Luke Redmond – ‘Isola’

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Originally from Kerry, Luke Redmond is an Irish musician and multi-instrumentalist musician now making a life for himself in Portugal.

Swapping one set of mountains in South Kerry for those of the Algarvian variety, they have their similarities and differences, the freedom, remoteness and isolation has shaped both his life and sound. Inspired by ’60s music and movies, contemporary psych and shoegaze, Redmond’s own creations are mellow, expansive and broadly cinematic explorations permeated by the remoteness of his mountainous locale; a la his new single ‘Isola’. A gentle instrumental marriage of soothing guitars, light percussion and mellow undulations, its dreamy, relaxing cinematic vibe plays like rippling waves lapping at your feet. ‘Isola’ is a joy, relaxing and refreshing in its breezy brilliance.

You can check out ‘Isola’ below and there is more where that came from over here.