Browsing Tag

Indie Psych

The modern malaise in KEEF’s ‘Adela Road’ is sonorously close to home

Posted on 26 January 2024

In their latest single, Adela Road, KEEF masterfully encapsulated the essence of 90s Britpop while infusing it with a modern indie rock spirit and extended the sonic timeline further with the psychedelic soul of the 60s to pay a vibrant homage to the past while allowing the release to resonate profoundly with the present.

The echoes of Britpop are weightlessly carried in the kaleidoscopically colourful melodies as the crooning vocals emanate the same indie rock raconteurial soul as The Walkmen. As past and present combine, parables for modern times entwine within the rhythmic allegory of how bitter-sweet footfall on paving stones can be when it brings back the memories of brighter days gone by. The sonorousness of the vocal performance as it finds complete synergy with the richly textured instrumental arrangement ensures that every line hits with bruising precision.

While music is subjective, I can safely say that Adela Road will be close to home for many. It’s thick with the modern malaise that makes it so easy for days to slip away without any tangible meaning. It’s a fucking stunning release, which shines a light on how high the calibre KEEF’s output is. “I’ve been counting the gravestones to pass the time, so many memories, so many lines” may just be one of the stunningly haunting lyrics I’ve heard since The Holy Bible first tore my soul in two.

Adela Road will be officially released on January 26; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get high on the dystopic delirium in Heavy Salad’s tropic psych rock cocktail, Weirdest of the Weird Shit

Posted on 26 January 2024

Even though you probably don’t need a track to affirm that we’re living in an era as twisted as Shaun Ryder’s melons, there’s no understating the vindicating catharsis in Heavy Salad’s tropic psych rock cocktail, Weirdest of the Weird Shit.

The track transcends sonics to deliver a mind-melting invitation to get high on the dystopic delirium as part of a collective experience and let the hallucinogenic waves within the ebbing and flowing guitars crash over you and brighten the psyche’s palette. The multi-layered harmonies play an even more crucial role in embodying and imparting vividly hazy hues as they alchemise with a synergy that Heavy Salad has meticulously honed since their 2019 debut release.

With mantras to live by flowing throughout lyrical surrealism in the beachy Lynchian fever dream, you’re free to explore brighter corridors of perception, safe in the knowledge that logic has become an extinction event and the only thing you can really change is the way you engage with our shared illusion.

Weirdest of the Weird Shit is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Follow Heavy Salad on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lapdog ripped up the indie songwriting script with their psychedelically mellow single, Yellow Belly

Posted on 21 June 2023

Someone let the raconteurs of indie psych experimentalism, Lapdog, off the leash and into the studio to record their double A-side single, Yellow Belly / Buy & Sell, and the airwaves are infinitely sweeter for it.

Despite the complex time signatures which rip up the indie songwriting script, the melodies in Yellow Belly reach the pinnacle of mellow melodiousness before the single slips into Grandaddy-esque synthy obscurity, bringing it right back to the wobbly with saturation tones from the prelude.

With vocal lines which take cloud-like form as they drift through the intricately layered yet mesmerically smooth soundscape, The Salt Lake City conduits of soul-kissed innovation hit it out of the dog park with Yellow Belly. Feel good tracks have never felt so good.

Yellow Belly / Buy & Sell is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Immaculate Crows held a mirror to human-derived harrow in their psychedelic alt-indie single, Dolly

Posted on 10 June 2023

The Immaculate Crows never fail to strike all the right chords with their sympathetic sensitivity and superfluous arrangements; their single, Dolly, was no exception to the rule. With a Southern country folk twist to psychedelic new wave indie, they orchestrated the ultimate soundscape for profound reflection.

A tale of torment-driven suicide and domestic violence could have easily sat heavily on the soul, but with the rich tapestry of psych, folk, indie, pop and country rock, The Immaculate Crows efficaciously advocate for a reality that gravitates around compassion and kindness.

The sonic olive branch may be small, but sometimes, all it can take is one push in a more positive direction to create a ripple effect of change, and therein lies the beauty of The Immaculate Crows’ discography. It holds a mirror to human-derived harrow before melodiously illustrating the capacity for tenderness, which lies in us all.

Stream Dolly on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Testaverde took a jazzy astral trip through psychedelic soul in their standout single, Livre

Posted on 2 April 2023

Away from the fray of music manufactured for mainstream appeal, the music project, Testaverde, led by singer-songwriter Pedro Rafa and producer Ale Siqueira, always follows a mythical path to invite the listener to reflect on life. Ultimately, the soundscapes from Testaverde are the embodiments of our true selves.

The standout single, Livre, which was brought to life with an army of authentic artists, is a far cry from the archetypal indie tonal palette with the ethereally jazzy textures, funk-licked rhythms, and astral layers of psychedelic soul. Livre is definitively a single you will get lost within before you find yourself rejuvenated by artful experimentalism. Great minds don’t think alike; they’re all outside the box like the effortless originators in this accessible Avant Garde orchestration.

Add Livre to your Spotify playlists, or immerse yourself in the official music video on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

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

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

Take a psychedelic desert rock trip with Shandri’s latest single, Desert Flower

Posted on 21 March 2022

From the ancient mountains of Central Mexico, the alt-indie psych artist, Shandri, is here with his latest progressively indulgent aural trip, Desert flower. It evades every revival cliché by complimenting the shimmering psych-rock transcendent tones with a touch of War on Drugs and Radiohead art-rock finesse.

For the instrumental interlude, the one-man project surpassed expectations with screaming saxophones and jazzy nuances that will leave any self-respecting desert-rock inclined muso weak at the knees. Yet, Shandri invertedly poured plenty of commercial potential in the single by wrapping it into an addictive 3-minute package that deserves to blow up as much as the Black Keys’ biggest hits. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

Desert Flower is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

[Spotlight Feature] Ethan Mark delivered honeyed euphonic bliss in his indie psych soul single, The Concept of You

Posted on 17 March 2022

There is nothing hallmark about the rich and vibrant sentimentality of Ethan Mark’s latest single, The Concept of You. With the straight-from-the-soul vocal passion as a paramour of the sultry Flamenco guitars, the RnB track is the epitome of affectionate sincerity.

His mellifluous harmonised vocals become the central gravity of the title single from his upcoming album, which will release in June 2022. As the world music flair gently wrestles with the psychedelic indie vibes, it is impossible not to get caught up in the sun-bleached bliss of the exotically euphonic single that stands as a testament to Ethan Mark’s organically distinctive production style. Despite the tonal eclecticism that encompasses the soul of old school hip hop, the evocative capacity of alt-RnB and the grooves in non-westernised music, every element gels cohesively together under Mark’s sporadically off-kilter production style.

After getting a sneak peek of the upcoming album, it is easy to anticipate massive strides in the Toronto-residing artist’s music career.

Here’s what Ethan Mark had to say about his latest release:

“The Concept of You, and the upcoming album, came about from a challenge from my partner. She, a listener of neo-soul and jazz, challenged me to pare my usually elaborate and busy musical style down to something more organic, soulful, and pretty.

The result was a series of love songs encompassing many different facets of love. The single refers to her, the sepia-toned memories of summers, the roots we have put down together, and the love for home.

These themes felt especially important after a long period punctuated by isolations, introversion, and cabin fever. It’s accentuated by nylon guitar strings, cascading violins, gentle pianos, and the frailties and soul of harmonised vocals. In supporting the themes of roots, home, and love, the album is paired with visuals romanticizing wintertime in Toronto.”

The title track from Ethan Mark’s upcoming album, The Concept of You, is now available to stream on Spotify.

You can keep up to date with all of the artist’s latest releases via Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The JB Project spills vibration-raising soul in his indie psych single, ‘Hole for the Sun’

Posted on 17 February 2022

The JB Project (Justin Beaver) has picked up his trusty sunburst Fender Strat once more to lay down another dynamically psychedelic soft serenade. His latest single, Hole for the Sun, is just one of his constraintlessly constructed recent releases that allow emotion to flow organically. With the warmth that spills from his over-driven chords meeting the emotions pouring through his almost dream-like indie vocals, there’s no denying that Hole for the Sun delivers a transcendent touch.

We couldn’t help but adore the sheer ease of it. Hole for the Sun teases visceral grungey build ups before bringing even more catharsis and soulful humility. With the experimentalism to rival Pavement paired with the colourful accordance of the Beatles and the lyrical panache of Elliott Smith, it’s only a matter of time before the multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and producer breaks into the mainstream with his unapologetically authentic sound. You don’t need his bio to tell you that he has a deeply emotional connection to music. Or that his MO is diluting negativity with his positivity-radiating sound. It is affirmed in seconds after you hit play. We can’t wait to hear what is lurking in The JB Project pipeline.

Hole for the Sun is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast