POSTS TAGGED : psych-rock

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets – ‘Social Candy’

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And the winner of the greatest band name of 2018 is…… yeah, you guess it; Psychedelic Porn Crumpets.

Not only do the Aussie outfit have a great handle, they also make great tunes. The Perth four-piece have release new single ‘Social Candy’; a fuzz-filled psych-rock odyssey. ‘Social Candy’ twists and turns, shape-shifting with vibrancy and melody as guitars swirl around heavy hitting percussion and hypnotic vocals, for a powerful onslaught of engrossing, imaginative and unpredictable riffery (but importantly, always wonderful). It’s no surprise they come from the same land that gave birth to modern psych-rock stalwarts Tame Impala and King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard – and ‘Social Candy’ is up there with anything those pair have done to date.

Tune into ‘Social Candy’ below, it is magnificent!

Hippies Vs Ghosts – ‘No Left No Right’

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By now, regular patrons of the blog should be well aware of the esteem in which Hippies Vs Ghosts is kept around these parts.

Under the guise of Hippies Vs Ghosts, Owain Ginsberg, has routinely blown us away time after time with his kaleidoscopic, Morricone meets krautrock sound and latest single ‘No Left No Right’ is no different. Lifted from the stunning album of the same name, the new single is exhilarating, irresistible and manic.

It is a kaleidoscopic mix of feverish experimentation that blows everything else out of the water. The pace is unrelenting, frantically clamouring to one frenetic crescendo after another before momentarily offering a brief breathe with the relative calmness through some rolling drums and undulating waltz of western tones before exploding toward a frenzied finish. This is a ferocious three-and-a-half minutes of breakneck beats, scintillating riffs, off-kilter rhythms and forged together and delivered with a burning intensity – in all seriousness there is nothing quite like Hippies Vs Ghosts, and the project shows no signs of slowing under the careful stewardship of Ginsberg. Hippies Vs Ghosts continues to develop, grow and deliver outrageously good tunes.

Check out ‘No Left No Right’ below and make sure to get on the new album, here.

TOY announce New Album ‘Clear Shot’, Share ‘Fast Silver’

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UK psych-rock outfit TOY have announced news that their new album, Clear Shot – the group’s third studio LP – will be released on October 28th via Heavenly.

Following last year’s collaborative album with Bat For Lashes’ Natasha Khan and producer Dan Carey as Sexwitch, Clear Shot is a proper follow-up to 2013’s Join The Dots. Heralding the new record is single ‘Fast Silver’; a playfully fuzzy, mid-tempo six-minute psych excursion. Shrouded in broodiness and punctured with stabby keys, it takes its time to develop into a hypnotic swirl of guitars and hazy atmospherics, punctuated by flickering electronics and percussion. As far as indications of what we can expect in future, you can’t ask for any better than this; moodily atmospheric yet optimistic and impeccably pieced together.

Clear Shot is out on October 28th via Heavenly. Listen to ‘Fast Silver’ below.

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Introducing: The Orange Kyte

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The Orange Kyte is an experimental music project with an admirable manifesto to release a single a month, throughout 2016.

The brainchild of Vancouver-based, Dublin-raised Stevie Moonboots (House of Dolls & The Subterranean Satellite Band), along with a revolving cast of collaborators and cohorts, promise sonic explorations in sound. Drawing heavily from a love of ethereal tones, fuzz, reverberation and all things psychedelic, they deliver just that. Debut single ‘Morning Pages’, featuring Chris van der Laan of Vancouver punks Wars, is a woozy, dreamy & hypnotic, shoegaze tinged brand of psych-rock, all shimmering guitars and hazy vibes. As far as opening gambits go, this ranks pretty damn high. It’s going to be very intriguing (and rewarding, hopefully) to track the continuous evolution of The Orange Kyte project.

You can check out The Orange Kyte’s debut single, ‘Morning Pages’, below now. And track the progress of the project here, too.

 

 

Introducing: Amber Arcades

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Amber Arcades is the moniker of Dutch-born musician Annelotte de Graaf.

De Graaf first started writing songs while temporarily living in Philadelphia back in 2010, and on her return to her native Netherlands, she released a first EP in 2012. Four years on and now signed to the ever reliable Heavenly Records, she is gearing up to release her debut LP. Produced by Ben Greenberg (Beach Fossils, The Men, Destruction Unit) and backed by a band comprised of members of Real Estate, Quilt and Kevin Morby, the album is a culmination of songs written over the years, and what we’ve got to go on so far, is ever so good.

The most recent of which, ‘Right Now’ is a dazzling piece of ‘60s inspired, meandering psychedelic pop. It simply drifts along, unhurriedly, over floating pop melodies, hypnotic, lush jangly guitars, frazzled electronics and punchy beats are coated with light layer of fuzz and an incandescent glimmer, as de Graaf’s dreamy, breathy vocals hover above majestically. This is flawless jangly fuzz-pop with an upbeat groove and distinct ’60s retro feel, but importantly while sounding familiar, it stays on the right side of familiar. ‘Turning Light’ meanwhile, is consumed by a similar luminescence. Harnessing a beautiful blend propulsive beats, krautrock drums and shimmering guitars, like ‘Primary Colours’ era Horrors, with a touch less distortion and the inclusion of de Graaf’s soft, soothing vocal.

De Graaf’s musical vision works like a dream and there you have it, two very good reasons to be excited about the forthcoming record. No definitive date for the release of the debut record but you can check out ‘Right Now’ & ‘Turning Light’, below.

 

Tame Impala – ‘Let It Happen’

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Aussie psych-rockers Tame Impala have unveiled a brand new track called ‘Let It Happen’, their first new material since their excellent 2012 LP, Lonerism,  and it’s safe to say it was worth the wait.

A touch less rocky, ‘Let It Happen’ is a sprawling seven-minute-plus track. It sees their recognizable vocals, signature psychedelic and propulsive grooves blend perfectly with sumptuous electronic flourishes perfectly, for a slightly fresh approach to psych-rock. The shift half way through alone, is utterly brilliant. That should be enough to suitably whet the appetite and with two great albums already under their belt, Innerspeaker (2010) & Lonerism (2012), Tame Impala’s next steps were always going to be highly-anticipated anyway. I guess this is confirmation. ‘Let It Happen’ is accompanied by a pile of tour dates, including a massive North American tour with a Vancouver date on May 26th and of course, they play Electric Picnic back in Ireland this year too.

‘Let It Happen’ is available via the band’s website as the first taster of the follow up to 2012’s ‘Lonerism’, due later this year. No word on the album title or official release date yet, but it far fetched or outlandish to assume that, that news isn’t too far behind? Download the track here.

The Dead Heavys – ‘Liquidator’

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The Dead Heavys are currently in the midst of wrapping up work on their debut album, hoped to see a 2015 release.

The Waterford five-piece return with irresistibly catchy new single ‘Liquidator’, a timely reminder of why news of an album, is very good news indeed. Teaming up with guest vocalist Aisling Browne of Solar Taxi and Cut Once they have served up yet another bright, upbeat and rocking-groover that is very easy on the ears indeed. Their now characteristic keys, guitars and vocals combo, anthemic surges and infectious sing-a-long moments, work in perfect tandem with Browne’s powerful and soulful vocals. The result is that their psych-indie stomp evolves into something with an added soulful edge, groove and coolness. The Dead Heavys continue to grow, adding further weight to all those attributes which stood them out from the crowd from day one. Hopefully their debut LP sees the light of day in 2015.

You can check out ‘Liquidator’ below and it is available as a free download for a limited time only.

 

Coves – ’Shot To The Wall’

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Coves have unveiled ‘Shot To The Wall’, the lead track from their new EP Spectrum, out on April 13th.

This, their first new material since last year’s LP, Soft Friday, picks up where the duo left off on their beautiful and thrilling debut. Elegant, atmospheric and most definitely Coves, ‘Shot To The Wall’ casts yet another beguiling and chilling spell. Laced with scorching riffs, laden with reverb, propulsive beats and glacial atmospherics, spiked with Wood’s mellifluous, chilling cooing. There are plenty of bands of Coves‘ ilk currently doing the rounds – boy-girl duo, spectral vocals, ’60s psychedelic influences, dreamy synths – but few, if any, come close to Coves’ class.

New EP Spectrum, is out on April 13th, while ‘Shot To The Wall’ is below for your listening pleasure. Also, this March, Coves head out on a headline tour of the UK – all the dates are here.

Melody’s Echo Chamber – ‘Shirim’

 

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French pop singer Melody Prochet, aka Melody’s Echo Chamber, is currently working on a follow-up to her sublime self-titled 2012 debut LP.

Where her debut album was made with Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, the as-yet-untitled new album which will be out later this year, will be self-released and written and recorded by Prochet on her own. Ahead of the new album we’ve been treated to a new(ish) single in the shape of ‘Shirim’. Released late last year, ‘Shirim’ retains those hazy, psychedelic aesthetics of her debut while embracing a slightly more pop sound with some glittery textures mingling with fuzzy bass and funky riffs as Prochet’s light, inviting vocals are sublime as ever. With her debut LP Prochet struck a perfect balance between pop and the psychedelic, on the evidence of ‘Shirim’ at least, she would appear to be destined to repeat the trick once more.

There’s no date or title as yet for the second record but for now there’s ‘Shirim’. Stream it below.

Velvet Morning – ‘Green Whale’

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Velvet Morning and their self-coined ‘smooth psychedelia’ sound captured our attention this year, with a series of gently contagious, wistful, swirling and seductive bouts of psychedelia.

Having recently signed to RIP Records (good to know it’s not just me they’ve impressed), the Leigh-on-Sea quartet have shared their wonderful new single ‘Green Whale’. In doing so they continue to proliferate their dreamy slumbering wonderland as they conjure something hypnotically alluring, effortlessly cool and vaguely shoegaze on ‘Green Whale’. Washed-out, whispery vocals and a distorted melody line grapple for space amidst oceans of fuzz,as it bobs and bounds in and out of focus, in a woozy free-floating, undulating manner. Melodic, atmospheric and utterly brilliant – Velvet Morning continue to go from strength to strength.

Check out ‘Green Whale’ and its visual companion below.