Any fans of gritty despondent Psychedelic noise are going to want to check out the latest self-titled release from Parisian artist Foreigners Society.
If you could imagine the music of the Phobophobes, Sonic Youth, and Joy Division all merging in a cutting yet captivatingly melodic soundscape, you might be able to get an idea of what Foreigners Society has to offer.
The single constantly fluctuates between cold harsh Post Punk and dreamy tonally warm Psych Pop, and in part, offering both at the same time. If that isn’t a feat of aural alchemy, I don’t know what is. But what I do know, is that if I ever get the chance to witness that instrumental ingenuity live in the UK, I’m taking it.
You can check out Foreigners Society’s self-titled single which was released on January 2ndfor yourselves via Bandcamp.
Mr Bungle fans will definitely want to turn their attention to the eccentrically Funk-driven feat of Alt Rock which is the latest release from up and coming artist Takeaway Sessions.
With “Funky Lemon” also carrying reminiscences to artists such as Frank Zappa, it’s an aural treat for anyone who appreciates nuanced music which doesn’t take itself all too seriously. With layers of upbeat Psych infused into the guitar-led groove-deep euphoric mix, Funky Lemon is an instantly uplifting hit. And Takeaway Sessions perceptibly didn’t hold back with how much soul they injected into the highly polished mix.
Funky Lemon may offer an array of aural nostalgias, but you’ve never quite heard a Funk revival like this one before.
You can check out the latest release from Takeaway Sessions by heading over to Spotify.
“He’s Acquired a New Face” was our first introduction to the Psych Garage Noir duo West Wickhams. Given their nostalgically artful yet intellectually pioneering approach to their sound, they instantly became an artist we want to hear more from in 2020.
If you can imagine what Joy Division would have sounded like if they laid off the reverb and offered quaint comedy instead of melancholy, you’d get a good idea what West Wickhams’ has to offer in their latest single.
He’s Acquired a New Face is the perfect track to have on your playlists if you’re looking to hide your head in the sands of aural escapism. It’s endearing, it’s immersive, and it throws you into a word of Noir fantasy complete with Post Punk atmospherics.
You can check out the aptly archaic Sci-Fi official music video which premiered on November 12th for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.
If it has been a while since an electronica artist has left you pleasantly captivated, hit play on the indulgently soulful yet spacey mix “Dog & Pony Show” from artist and producer Sun Lite.
The single possesses an unparalleled amount of transiently cathartic groove inspired by the same blissful mellifluous tones of King Crimson, while accidentally being of appeal to any fans of Pink Floyd.
Immersing yourself into Dog & Pony Show is the aural equivalent to throwing yourself into a rabbit hole of kaleidoscopic colour. There’s an ethereal air to the single, but in its essence, it’s a soundscape rooted in abstract serenity.
The instrumentals may be light and restorative, but Sun Lite took the opportunity to use the ambient track to highlight the prolific issue of populism. All things considered, Sun Lite feels like the artist we never knew we needed right now.
You can check out Sun Lite’s latest mix Dog & Pony Show for yourselves by heading over to YouTube now.
Alt Indie artist Ryan Kristian’s latest single “Sleep to Dream” is lucid enough to make you believe it was produced in a fever dream.
The amorously tender soundscape is just one of the singles you’ll find on the Sydney, Australia-based artist’s latest EP “Arcane”; which you won’t be able to resist playing in full after being introduced to Ryan Kristian’s sound through Sleep to Dream.
Even the progressions seem to exude an indulgent languor in Sleep to Dream which incorporates elements of Shoegaze, Psych, and Indie creating a pensively hazy soundscape. From wails of the organ to colourfully kaleidoscopic guitar progressions, the instrumental arrangement offers a vibrantly textured tonality which you’d be hard-pressed to find from another artist.
From the prelude to the outro, each element in Sleep to Dream resonates with an intellectual artfulness. Ryan Kristian may be an independent artist, but that is by no means an indication of their ingenuity or ability to write hauntingly soulful tracks.
You can check out Ryan Kristian’s latest single Sleep to Dream for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.
There may be plenty of Indie Rock artists reviving Psych under brand-new guises, but Columbia-based up and coming artist Dead Swells may have made it even more indulgently arrestive than ever before with their standout single “Be Here”.
Rather than just constructing your average wavy same three-chord progressions, you’re constantly treated to artful new increments of experimentalism as you follow the lucid melodies in Be Here.
With the sporadic additions of the dominant drum fills, the emotively captivating vocals and the kaleidoscopic guitar-driven Psychedelia which is thrown at you throughout the duration of Be Here, the soundscape comes highly recommended.
Be Here is a single I will undoubtedly return to time and time again, with every repeat listen of Be Here there’s more aural ingenuity to unpack in the hazily rich soundscape.
You can check out Be Here for yourselves by heading over to YouTube now.
Weddings’ latest single “Hidden Message” started off as a gloriously sludgy number which instrumentally carried reminiscences to the likes of Courtney Barnett but when the vocals kick in any fans of Alice in Chains should have a jaw to the floor moment.
The evolution in sound may be seamless, but that doesn’t prepare you for the cold drop in tonality as melodiously psychedelic accordance is stripped away and you’re left with harsh doom-laden Rock.
The Vienna-based trio released their single on July 19th, and they have plenty more material in the pipeline to leave us enamoured. You can already count me amongst the excited about the next installation of their alchemical Grunge contortionism.
You can stream and download Weddings’ single Hidden Message for yourselves by heading over to Bandcamp.
Yesterday, I tested out the limitations on my spine and headed down to Astral Elevator’s all-dayer showcasing 15 artists who collectively proved just how versatile of an element Psych is when weaved into a soundscape.
It’s one thing to listen to your favourite accolade-showered artists performing, but it’s quite another to be in an environment which is sharing in the excitement of new up and coming artists, and that was very much a part of the atmosphere last night.
There were plenty of artists emitting an effervescent array of distinction last night, but here’s my top three bands that you’ll want to put on your radar sooner rather than later.
Hey Bulldog
Yeah, sex is good, but have you ever seen Hey Bulldog live?
I’m not even sure that’s an exaggeration at this point. But what I am unequivocally sure of, is that Hey Bulldog has broken the mould with their dynamic genre-contorting sound.
The palpable virtuosity which I’d heard on their records is one thing, but seeing the sonic soundscapes crafted first-hand allowed me to appreciate the ingenuity in their heightened alchemic sound even more.
Nothing about Hey Bulldog’s music resonates as assimilative. From the structure of their unpredictably progressive tracks to the intensity of them, they are a forcible aural paradigm shift away from the usual tones which you’ll frequently find amongst psychedelically-inclined bands.
If guitar hero lists were constructed based on talent alone instead of the nostalgia which ‘iconic’ riffs offered, you’d find Hey Bulldog’s guitarist and vocalist Rob Manton’s name deservedly near the top.
And if you think any of that sounds like superfluous hyperbole, you can check out the Manchester-based trio for yourselves. I’d start with their recently released single “Death & Greed”, the refreshing veracity will have you hooked in seconds.
Phobophobes never fail to leave me mesmerised by their ennui-laden brand of bleakly carnivalesque Psych Garage Rock.
The South-London based DIY artist offers a rarely found intellectualism within their sound, but it’s so much more than conceptually artful instrumentals put against reverberant ominous vocals. Through the live performance, there’s a real sense that their music is a personification of their despondency. But despite the eerie bleakness, there’s also chilling incredibly danceable euphoria.
Their playfully sinister experimentalism is especially perceptible in their latest single “Blind Muscle”.
If you could imagine what the B52’s would have sounded like if they wanted to insidiously invade your subconscious you might be able to get an idea of what the single has to offer. And if there was ever an aural equivalent to David Lynch’s films, it’s the Phobophobes. Jamie Taylor’s commitment to disconcerting the audience with their menacingly charming stage persona is something that everyone should make an effort to witness.
There was no following on from the ritualistically caustic Italian fourpiece The Gluts last night.
As soon as the guttural vocals howled over the synergetic sonic instrumentals the energy in the room shifted in line with their frenzied, overdriven, atmospherically loud presence.
There’s certainly no shortage of angry artists putting out harsh noise at the moment, but The Gluts ability to make it melodious and rhythmically arrestive between the heavy bursts of biting noise is something that you’re unlikely to hear from any other artist.
Their Psychedelically-laced Noise Post-Punk is a feat of pioneering ingenuity, it may not be for the faint-hearted, but Post-Punk fans looking for blisteringly absorbing angsty catharsis should find plenty to appreciate about them.
If you’re looking for psychotropic aural escapism Astral Elevator has you covered with the Psych Rising, happening in Manchester on October 5th.
On any given night in Manchester, you’ll find an array of gigs to stumble into, but once again Astral Elevator has deftly curated a line up of the finest Psych Rock, Shoegaze, Garage Rock, Post-Punk, and Psych-Doom which you definitely won’t want to miss out on.
Amongst the 15 bands performing across the two stages (no clashes!), you’ll spot the leaders in the revival of psychedelic tones along with promising up and coming talent ready to offer ascension through their colourfully riotous riffs.
In running order, here’s the international array of bands who make it more than obvious why they made the cut.
Hazel’s Maze – Cheshire-based Alt Rock offering Melodiously cathartic, ethereally captivating tones.
Artist Links: Facebook, Spotify
Sauce – Manchester-based fourpiece renowned for their refreshingly authentic wholesome Rock vibes. It’s like being thrown back to the 90s when everyone seemed to love each other a little more. Artist Links: Facebook, Spotify
Korto – Punchy riotous supersonic Kraut Rock three-piece bringing their high-octane, sporadically chaotic energy all the way from the French Alps.
Artist Links: Facebook, Spotify
PALE RIDER – One of Liverpool’s most promising newcomers ready to spill their kaleidoscopically nostalgic aural alchemy. Artist Links: Facebook, Spotify
The Kundalini Genie – Quintessentially captivating hazy melodic Psych Pop reviving the 60s style with Indian Classical, Blues, Folk, and Jazz thrown in for good effect. Artist Links: Facebook, Spotify
Hey Bulldog – Containing easily one of the best guitarists in Manchester, the three-piece will prove exactly why they’re worthy of that accolade as they blend sonic futurism with rhythmic vintage nostalgia.
Artist Links: Facebook, Spotify
Kill Your Boyfriend – 2 Piece band flying in from Venice to leave us slightly disconcerted with their dark noisy Shoegaze-laden Post Punk. Imagine PIL and Magazine with a psych infusion and you’ve got Kill Your Boyfriend.
Artist Links: Facebook, Spotify
SeRvo – Cavernously phantasmic ambient Psychedelia from a uniquely captivating French artist renowned for making Shoegaze colder than we’ve ever heard it before.
Artist Links: Facebook, Spotify
Frankie Teardrop Dead – A highly acclaimed Manchester-based Dream-Wave act who fuse Psychedelia with roots-deep Rock n Roll to spill enough catharsis to lull to you into a state of colourful euphoric bliss.
Artist Links: Facebook, Spotify
Psychic Lemon – Masterfully crafted Space Rock from the Cambridge-based act who have given the revival of Psych Rock a brand-new trajectory.
Artist Links: Facebook, Spotify
Phobophobes – The South London Six-piece utilise their serpentine sordid rhythms to flirt with nostalgic tonality whilst simultaneously gripping you with their modern magnetic air of aural dejection. This set is definitely not to be missed.
Artist Links: Facebook, Spotify
The Telescopes – After the release of their 11th studio album, the Telescopes are ready to bring their consciousness-expanding soundscapes to Manchester once more. Expect a stripped and exposed bed of Psychedelic Indie.
Artist Links: Facebook, Spotify
The Gluts – The Milan-based fourpiece will be bringing their atmospherically-charged brand of Noisy Psych-steeped experimental Post Punk to douse you in blistering progressions of over-driven guitars.
Artist Links: Facebook, Spotify
Gnod – Raging Psychedelic Noise from the Manchester-based collective who have been rearranging synapses since 2006 with their caustically indulgent sound.
Artist Links: Spotify
Snakes Don’t Belong in Alaska – Rounding off the live acts will be the Psych Krautrock band who endearingly describe themselves as being the “UK’s Worst Hawkwind tribute band” – we definitely don’t agree.
Artist Links: Facebook,Spotify
Info: 5th Oct 13:00 – 03:30, Night People & Twisted Wheel, Manchester, £35 + bf
Tickets for the event are now on final release and can be purchased via Skiddle
For more info, head over to the Facebook event page.
