NEWS
EVENTS
2014: The Year of the Psychedelic
Indie | Tuesday 25th November 2014 |
In the run up to the season of over-eating and Home Alone re-runs, it is now officially time to look back over some of the most exciting releases of 2014. It’s fair to say that 2014 has very much been a year of all things Psychedelic in the Indie/Rock world, with a whole host of artists dusting off the old kaleidoscopes and discovering a love for vintage fuzz pedals. That being said, there have been some genuinely exciting releases in the world of Psych that have managed to steer clear of the cliched retro-revivalism of so many others. Here are a few favourites...
Goat - Commune
Continuing on from their debut World Music, Goat fuse elements of Afrobeat, Kroutrock, Funk and 60s Psych with tribal vocal chants to create a bombastic brand of voodoo-psychedelia. There are plenty of fuzz-wah guitar solos for the most hardened of psych fans, and plenty to dance to for the rest of us. Not to mention their wardrobe, which puts all other bands to shame! Well worth a listen.
Syd Arthur - Sound Mirror
Fresh off their tour supporting prog-rock dinosaurs Yes, Sound Mirror is the third full length release from the young Kentish band. Summoning the spirits of the Canterbury scene of the late sixties, without sounding dated, Sound Mirror effortlessly combines gentle melodies with subtly complicated rhythms and chord progressions to produce a sound that is both mature and contemporary. Definitely one to watch next year.
Ty Segall - Manipulator
The longest studio offering to date from the young garage-rock revivalist. Manipulator is seventeen explosive tracks of white-knuckle-fuzz-rock goodness! At times melodic, at other times ferocious, Manipulator merges Stooges-esque garage rock with elements of glam rock and west coast psychedelia to create a thoroughly exciting listen. Not a huge departure from previous material but who cares really; it’s only rock’n’roll and it’s good!
Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters - Lullaby and... The Ceaseless Roar
The tenth studio album from the Led Zep veteran sees him perform for the first time with his new backing band The Sensational Space Shifters. Combining experimental drum samples with looping grooves and an array of weird and wonderful instruments from around the world; this is definitely the most far-out release from the Rock icon to date. Shunning rumours of a Led Zeppelin reunion next year, Lullaby and... The Ceaseless Roar is a refreshingly forward thinking release from Robert Plant and his new ensemble. Long may it continue.
Black Submarine - New Shores
Formerly known as The Black Ships, 'New Shores' is the debut album from the English experimental supergroup (featuring ex-members of the Verve, Portishead and Goldfrapp). The album is a melting pot of a broad range of influences and textures; spanning folk, kroutrock and ambient-electronica. Single Here So Rain is a real highlight and features a beautiful vocal performance from Amelia Tucker.
