AUDIO: Rykarda Parasol – “Above It All”
With its soaring melodies and ethereal atmosphere, the song explores the theme of a toxic relationship and the liberating breakthrough that follows.
Read moreTag Archives: Psych
AUDIO: Brandon Payton-Carrillo – “All Night”
Brandon Payton-Carrillo released a new EP at the end of June. Consisting of three songs, Payton-Carrillo’s EP incorporates elements of Afrobeat, Cumbia-funk and dreamy, soulful psychedelia to convey themes of the good and bad in relationships. Accompanied by his band Lakebeat Social Club, Brandon Payton-Carrillo marries texturally immersive atmospheres and rhythmic catharsis with “All Night”, warm and inviting yet poignant
Read moreAUDIO: Limber Brain – “Everyone Else is Leaving”
Psych-indie rock project Limber Brain released a new album last week. The ten-song body of work explores coming-of-age themes such as entering new chapters (“Open A New Door”), growing apart from people (“Twyla (the Light of my Life)”), seeking love from someone (“I’m the One Who Wants You”) and the innocence of uncertainty (“What’s Wrong with Being Wrong (If You
Read moreAUDIO: Tidal – “The Bends”
Tidal are a new project on the block who just released their debut release. Incorporating elements of doom, noise, psychedelic and stoner rock, it’s one single track that spans fifteen minutes long. An other-worldly and kaleidoscopic atmosphere is conjured through layers of ambient textures, heavy guitars, patient rhythms and variable tempos. “The Bends” carries us through a landscape of air,
Read moreAUDIO: So Zuppy – “Where Did You Go”
Indie pop act So Zuppy dropped a new single today. Continuing his playful, eccentric brand of pop, the artist longs for a friend and wonders where they’ve wandered off to with this tune. There’s always fun to be had with So Zuppy’s melodies, but he embeds sincere and human moments into them at the same time, and that’s what makes
Read moreVIDEO: Astral Hand – “Contact”
Heavy psych rockers Astral Hand are gearing up to release their highly anticipated debut album “Lords of Data” on Romanus Records next month, but in the meantime, they’ve shared with us earthlings the music video for “Contact.” Shot by Enterprise Films, the scene finds four psychonauts attempting to establish contact with another dimension beyond time and space, only to be
Read moreAUDIO: Terry Alan Hackbarth – “Never Really Found You”
Singer-songwriter Terry Alan Hackbarth, known for his work with longtime psych-pop band Trolley, is out with his debut single. It’s a song about letting someone go who you never truly got to know. The song’s got a jangle pop feel that puts danceable sensibilities to an otherwise melancholy tale. We hope it’s the sign of something bigger to come from
Read moreAUDIO: Ravi/Lola – “Christmas Village Mouse”
Psych pop band Ravi/Lola dropped a Christmas single this year. Starting with a warm and sweet glockenspiel, the song tells the story of a mouse who comes out from its cozy mini village every Christmas to befriend the narrator, swelling into a playful and bouncy tune that ultimately ends with a freakout by the narrator because the mouse leaves right
Read moreAUDIO: Ricky Thump – “Stik Bag”
Instrumental pysch rocker Ricky Thump released his debut album. He has tons of fun jamming out over eight tracks, enlisting vocals only once – from Kyle Janes on the second track “CROW.” Thump recognizes the intimate relationships between color, texture and sound through these songs, from the badass charge of “The Jakes” to the lamenting ditty “Kyle’s Song” to the
Read moreAUDIO: Floid the Dog – “Ache”
Psych-electronic project Floid the Dog has a new tune out. Subtle and mysterious, “Ache” is a trippy adventure that gets progressively tenser and tenser before fully going into full alarm mode. Imagery of a science-fiction video game action-escape sequence comes to mind, deeply textural and mysterious. We hope to hear more from Floid the Dog in the near future!
Read moreAUDIO: Ricky Thump – “July Sun”
Psych-rocker Ricky Thump is out with his debut single. It’s summer, so there’s no better way to channel the heat than through liquid rock ‘n roll – that’s exactly what Thump brings here, incorporating elements of blues and reggae to get you moving. It explores a multitude of colors while traversing various landscapes. He’s only getting started; we hope to
Read moreAUDIO: Mere of Light – “Haptica”
Psych-electrofolk project Mere of Light released their sophomore EP. It’s four tracks that build dreamy worlds through graceful harp melodies and exquisite electronica, traversing imagery from the Midwest scenery to quiet woodlands to the ever-changing face of God. “Cruel Sister” is a traditional folk ballad about a girl being thrown overboard by her jealous older sister and drowning; Mere of
Read moreVIDEO: Robot Witch – “Millennial Hat”
Electric psych rockers Robot Witch are out with the video to their debut single “Millennial Hat.” It’s animated, featuring the band’s titular figure wearing a suit and tie and standing still as it gets engulfed by snowlike animations. There’s ascending hot air balloons involved as well, so all of it makes for a rather trippy viewing experience. Stay tuned for
Read moreAUDIO: Michael Jantz – “Peace! 2”
Experimental-psychedelia artist Michael Jantz (formerly Black Eagle Child) follows up his recent debut single under his own name with a sequel. This one begins with a thumping bass repetition before a guitar begins wandering, coated with this hiss of lo-fi recording. We feel like we’re watching a grainy tape of animals in their natural habitats from decades ago. Michael Jantz
Read moreAUDIO: Shadows Taller Than Souls – “Fantasized”
Heavy psych rockers Shadows Taller Than Souls’ latest single is about grief and struggling to feel connected to others. Clocking in at just over two minutes, the song rips with angst around pushing people away and dwelling in a lonely void. Stay tuned for more to come from Shadows Taller Than Souls in the near future!
Read moreAUDIO: Michael Jantz – “Peace One”
Experimental-psychedelia artist Michael Jantz, once known for project Black Eagle Child, is out with a new track. Spanning almost six minutes, it’s got a lo-fi quality to it that evokes imagery of walking through a humid, hazy meadow. With an underlying repetitious guitar riff, there’s an additional guitar that explores space with gradual confidence, giving a “floating” feeling. It’s Michael
Read moreAUDIO: Old Pup – “Incognito Lounge”
Western-psych folk band Old Pup released their sophomore album today out on Hear Here Records. It’s the soundtrack to a drive through the beautiful scenery of rustic mountains and explosive twilight, punctuated by Will Hansen’s idiosyncratic storytelling. Lap steel, cello, banjo, and harmonica are all utilized throughout the record to really bring the songs alive with a specifically bucolic flavor.
Read moreAUDIO: NeoCaveman – “Sun Eater”
Indie rockers NeoCaveman have returned with their third studio album. With rippling melodies and assertive vocals, the band builds up a dense atmosphere with watery wisdom and earnest determination. There’s seven tracks laden with everything from mountainous guitar solos, prog-friendly structures, rivers of self-awareness, and synergistic grandeur. NeoCaveman shared that this might be their final album, and if so, it’s
Read moreB&E Podcast Episode 43: Thoughts
We talk to Angel Leiser of the Philadelphia-based funk rock outfit.
Read moreREVIEW: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at Pabst Theater
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong continue to shatter expectations as they master their craft.
Read moreAUDIO: Jake Marin – “Archive Vol. 1”
Experimental psychedelic artist Jake Marin released a tape of songs he recorded between 2013 and 2016. It’s seven tracks; Marin plays with electronic effects and scattered percussion that range in structure from ominous ambient to vivacious freak pop. “Make Light” and “Dish Interest” are the only two tracks containing lyrics, while “Stay Outside” appears to be a meticulously layered sample
Read moreARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Astral Hand
LA’s psych-space rockers Hooveriii (pronounced hoover-three) came to Cactus Club Monday evening, enlisting Milwaukee’s Astral Hand as well as Minneapolis’ post-punk shoegazers Cult of Lip for an epic musical odyssey that brought in a packed house. Astral Hand consists of vocalist/synthesizer Al Kraemer, guitarist Vic Buell, bassist Anthony Smith, and drummer Dan Dahl. This was their first show in an
Read moreAUDIO: Adorner – “Right Time / All the Time”
Psychedelic rockers Adorner recently dropped their debut single. With soaring vocal harmonies, New Age-friendly piano and sensual guitars, the band conjures a multicolored layer cake of a song, bursting with lovelorn emotion. It’s the type of song where you notice a different sound or component embedded every time you give it a listen. We hope to hear more from this
Read moreAUDIO: Colorblind Chameleon – “Colorblind Chameleon (Live in Minneapolis)”
Psychedelic rockers Colorblind Chameleon’s first-ever release on streaming platforms is a live album from a show they did in the Twin Cities. The result is a wicked party record that fuses prog, jazz, and classic rock into a good time to spill beer to. The banter is friendly and only here to have fun as well. It’s easy to tell
Read moreAUDIO: Deerskin – “Ayah”
Psychedelic bass producer Deerskin’s latest tune is inspired by an Ayahuasca vocal sample from South America. The result is a chillout jam certainly suitable for reclining but it’s also got plenty of cerebral effects laced in per Deerskin fashion. The bass drones in and out while about halfway in the tempo switches into a liquid stomper. We hope there’s more
Read more