Pink Chameleons - Harmony

 

Sometimes there is nothing more satisfying than sitting back and letting prime cuts of psychedelia surround you. And frankly, there doesn't seem to be much prime psychedelic music these days. However, Paltsa-Kai Salama and his Pink Chameleons mates are here to save the day. In past outings the band was more guitar pop and punk oriented. But for their new album Harmony, the Finnish trio deliver 10 songs that evince a deep mastery of the psychedelic arts. The sound is dense and dynamic, with reverb and fuzz riding throbbing, booming rhythms. The effect is both colorful and hypnotic. There are hints of Black Rebel Motorcycle and Jesus and Mary Chain, but Pink Chameleons are more adventuresome and adept than the former and more devoted to the genre than the latter. We could say that we haven't heard a psychedelic album this good in a long time, and it is true. But more than that, it is one of the more satisfying albums we have heard lately.

Pink Chameleons are Paltsa-Kai Salama (vocals/guitars/electric sitar/organ/mellotron/songwriting), Antti Sauli (bass), Ville Hopponen (drums/percussion). Harmony is out now via Helsinki's Soliti Music.

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Laughing Chimes - Whispers in the Speech Machine

 

We have been fans of Southeast Ohio's  Laughing Chimes since we first heard their music. Their sunny jangle lifted our spirits and quickly earned a permanent spot on the WYMA office playlist. Naturally, we have been eagerly awaiting the new LP Whispers in the Speech Machine, which was released last Friday. Did we get another edition of sunny jangle? Well, no. Are we upset? Not at all. Artists grow and evolve and Whispers in the Speech Machine is the sort of evolution that should be celebrated.

Here the jangling core is supplemented with dancing synths, moody reverb and expanded arrangements. Paisley Underground meets southern gothic strum and thrum? Perhaps, but there is a lot going on in these songs and all of it is good. The effect is to pull in elements or alternative, new wave and college rock, as well as an intriguing neo-psychedelia. The vocals are distinctive, reflecting the regional accents, and effectively convey the darker themes of the music. Whispers in the Speech Machine is a remarkable album by this young band and, in our view, a clear cut above much of the indie pop material being released. 

Laughing Chimes are Evan Seurkamp (guitar/vocals), Quinn Seurkamp (drums), Avery Bookman (bass), and Ella Franks (guitar/keys). The album is out now via Slumberland Records. 

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"Draggin' On" by Pink Chameleons

 

Finland may not be on the radar of most indie pop fans, but it has been on our radar for a couple of decades. Finnish artist produce memorable music in the pop, metal, and experimental spheres. One of our favorites is Pink Chameleons. This is a group that isn't tethered to their past -- having recorded fine pop and punk material in the past, it seems that they are adding psychedelia to the mix on their upcoming LP Harmony. And yes, they are as adept in psychedelia as the are in everything else. Treat your ears to "Draggin' On".

Harmony will be released on January 31 via Soliti Music.

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"Song for Vultures" by The Psych Fi's

 We recently posted the first two singles from Canadian collective The Psych Fi's The collective is Toronto musician and 18 other musicians playing psychedelic indie rock/country. It is relaxed, intriguing, and  hypnotic. The lovely third single, 'Song for Vultures is out now and you can enjoy it below. The singles are taken from the five-track Can Con album which is due December 6 via Bobo Integral Records.

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"Summer's Right Around the Corner" by The Psych Fi's

 The Psych Fi's are a Canadian collective playing psychedelic indie rock/country rock that is intriguing and peaceful. You can hear nine minutes plus of their work below via "Summer's Right Around the Corner". If you are feeling the vibes like we are then you will want to play all 13 minutes of the glorious "Alone In A Room Of Mirrors / James Cagney". Both are taken from the five-track Can Con album which is due December 6 via Bobo Integral Records.

This project is helmed by Jerry Leger and 18 musicians contributed to the recording of Can Con. To use a term from our youth, these songs are a head trip.

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"Nine Clean Nails" by Dummy

 

Talented and adventuresome, Dummy is a band that truly deserves your ears. If you missed their debut album Mandatory Enjoyment, that's OK because number 2 Free Energy will be out September 6 via Trouble In Mind Records. Check out the single "Nine Clean Nails" in which the band lays down a commanding groove before adding vocal and then blowing out the windows with the guitars. Rhythmic, taut and poppy, it is a certain winner.

The members of this Los Angeles band are Alex Ewell, Emma Maatman, Nathan O'Dell and Joe Trainor.

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Wurld Series The Giant's Lawn

 

Spoiler alert: The Giant's Lawn is one of our favorite albums of the year. So, on to other things.

Just kidding about the "other things", but we are quite serious about the rich musical tapestry that New Zealand's Wurld Series has dropped for our pleasure. Dipping into the well of New Zealand indie pop but expanding the palette with progressive folk, psychedelia and folk rock that will recall sounds from the UK in the '60s and '70s, the band offers spry compositions that balance light and dark, drone and twinkle, fuzz/jangle and pastoral calm. With 17 songs, Wurld Series has given themselves plenty of room to develop their ideas and cover multiple facets of their art, but nothing is redundant or overstays its welcome. The guitars are a joy throughout and the arrangements are fantastic and often fantastical. 

We think this album deserves to be on the turntable of every indie fan, and it is already in our 10 ten of 2023 list.

Wurld Series are Luke Towart, Brian Feary, Ben Woods, and Ben Dodd. The Giant's Lawn is out now via Meritorio Records and Melted Ice Cream.

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Vanishing Twin - Afternoon X

 

We are remiss in not writing sooner about Afternoon X by London trio Vanishing Twin. It has given us great delight for a couple of months and we still discover new joys with every listen. The band spreads its psychedelic arts across tracks that can be described as pop, trip hop, electronic pop, creating a soundscape that is both aurally colorful and pleasingly fluid. Even at its most experimental, and it definitely has plenty of such moments, it is playful and accessible. At some point, you may even think that you have begun to hallucinate. In fact, you may be hallucinating, but not to worry, it likely is just the music. Well, probably it is just the music. You do you, and we won't judge. However, we recommend that you give this album your ears. 

For this record Vanishing Twin is Cathy Lucas, Valentina Magaletti and Susumu Mukai. Afternoon X is out now via Fire Records.

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"Ouroboros" by Joe Ziffer

Well, well, well -- this pleasant and super jangling dose of psychedelic pop called "Ouroboros" may have just introduced us to a new favorite artist. Adelaide's Joe Ziffer is pushing all the right buttons on our musical appreciation control board. The song almost seems to be two songs, starting as a jangling pop tune and eventually transforming into a slice of psychedelia. It will be on regular rotation here while we eagerly await the album Long Shadows, which will be released in digital and cassette formats on November 24 via Tenth Court Records.

Bandcamp for "Ouroboros"

Various links for "Ouroboros"

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"Rearing Wesley" by Wurld Series

 

What a lovely nugget of psychedelic folk from Wurld Series. "Rearing Wesley" is the new single from the New Zealand band's upcoming November 17 release The Giant's Lawn. Check below for the Bandcamp stream or, better yet, the fantastical video. We love the guitar on this track.

The Giant's Lawn will be released in vinyl and digital formats via Meritorio Records and Melted Ice Cream.

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Islet - Soft Fascination

 

We aren't offering our readers money or prestige, but tonight we offer you a bit of magic. The eleven tracks on Soft Fascination deliver euphoric, burly psychedelic magic. Of all the albums we have heard this year it is near the top of the pack for jaw dropping, eye-widening moments. The creation of Welsh band Islet, its brand of psychedelic pop isn't the hazy meandering kind, but rather a psychedelia riding surging basslines, dancing keys, overflowing emotions and sparkling vocals.

Islet are Alex Williams, Emma Daman Thomas, John "JT' Thomas, and Mark Daman Thomas. Soft Fascination is out now via Fire Records.

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"The Starfish Song" by The Garment District

 

Earlier this month we featured two singles from the upcoming album by The Garment District (link). While the name of the project was new to us, the name of the woman behind it was not. Jenifer Baron of Ladybug Transistor is a musical force and will always grab our attention. Flowers Telegraphed to All Parts of the World will be released on September 22 via Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records, but we now have the third single. The sprawling, brightly colored psychedelia of "The Starfish Song" brings us happy memories of '70s album rock, where artists could let their imaginations run.

HHBTM Records · The Starfish Song

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"A Street Called Finland" and "Left On Coast" by The Garment District

 

We are busy today, but news that Jennifer Baron on Ladybug Transistor will be releasing music for her new project The Garment District caused us to shift focus. The new album is titled Flowers Telegraphed to All Parts of the World, and it will be released on September 22 via Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records. We will share more information and thoughts about the album closer to its release date, but for now we invite you to enjoy the two songs shared so far: "A Street Called Finland" and "Left On Coast".

HHBTM Records · A Street Called Finland

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"Easy Out" by Thala

 

Sadness, anger, and tension, building to a rapturous wall of sound -- that's "Easy Out" by Berlin talent Thala. The song is the latest single taken from her upcoming In Theory Depression EP which is out July 7 via Fire Records. Reviewing her singles to date indicate that the self-taught artist is equally comfortable with pop, psychedelic, and dream pop modes of musical expression. We think the EP is going to be well worth our attention.

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"Killer Bee" by Wireheads

 

We are not fortune tellers, although wearing a costume and sitting by a globe and telling people lies for money has a certain appeal. And we wouldn't even need to sign up with the election committee unlike the other professional liars. But there is one bit of the future we can foretell with high confidence: Potentially Venus by Wireheads will be one of our favorite albums of the year. There are three singles available to date, including the just-released "Killer Bee", and all of them are classic Wirehead gems. We assure you that the rest of the songs are terrific as well.

Wireheads are there own genre, an indie rock/post punk/psychedelic/jangle/alt country/punk collective that gives life to the weird and wonderous songwriting of leader Dom Trimboli. "Killer Bee" is a psychedelia-shaded alt country jam with a thumping rhythm line and addresses several themes, including the downside of living near the police station and a bee sting. As always, it is an interesting ride.

Potentially Venus will be out in digital and vinyl formats via Tenth Court Records. See the Bandcamp link below for pre-orders. For vinyl distribution in the  US contact distribution@thebusinessanacortes.com, for everywhere else, contact Matthew Ford at www.tenthcourt.com

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Spirit Award - The Fear

 

Some of us may reside in Seattle, but that doesn't mean that we have comprehensive knowledge of the city's wide and vibrant music scene. An example is the subject of this post, Spirit Award. A week ago this band was unknown to me. But while driving to pick up some skis which needed an end of the season tune up, I heard a live performance on KEXP. I pulled over and listened to several songs, captivated by the guitar work and atmospherics. I researched the band when I got home and discovered that they were releasing new album Fear last Friday. So that chance encounter over the airwaves results in tonight's post about a captivating record.

The songs are intense explorations of emotions, states of mind, and alternative perspectives. There are elements of psychedelia, dreampop, post punk and even, to my ears, a tough of surf. But I can't fit it into any specific boxes. It isn't like anything else I've heard this year, and I'm glad I discovered it.

Spirit Award's main man in Daniel Lyon (songwriting/vocals/guitar). Drums were by Andrew King and bass by Chris Jordan. Fear is available in digital and vinyl formats.

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TV Star - Hallucinate Me

 

In our eagerness to look beyond our borders for new music, we sometimes forget that excellence is found close to home as well. So here we present a local Seattle band.

Just before the pandemic, Seattle musicians Bryan Coats and Che Hise-Gattone formed TV Star. Starting a band just as the country goes into lockdown inevitably delays the launch of a project that relies, at least to some extent, on  practicing together and performing in public. But Bryan (guitars/percussion/vocals) and Che (guitars), augmented by Ashlyn Nagel (vocals), KTB (bass/vocals) and Waylon Trim (drums), persevered and began recording. Two-track singles were released in 2021 and 2022, and now they are the proud birthing people of the 6-track mini-album Hallucinate Me. For this outing the band is delivering some delicious psychedelia, with hooks, jangles and riffs. We suggest you treat your ears to a listen.

Hallucinate Me is out now in digital, vinyl, cassette and CD formats.

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Death and Vanilla - Flicker

 

Sweden's Death and Vanilla are masters of dreamy, dark pop comprising of psychedelia and a cinematic melancholy. Their new album is the nine-track Flicker, and it is already one of our favorites from their discography. The band has woven delightful details (such as dub and motorik) into their creations and, dare we say, infused some sunlight into the proceedings. The album is a delight after delight and should please listeners for a long, long time -- perhaps until the next Death and Vanilla album.

Death and Vanilla are Marleen Nilsson, Anders Hansson and Magnus Bodin. Flicker is out now on vinyl, cassette and digital formats via Fire Records. 

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Various links for Flicker 

Dignan Porch - Electric Threads

When we last covered Dignan Porch they were camped out in South London. Since then main man Joe Walsh has moved to Manchester. But he still is writing music and thank the gods for that! His songs appear to have roots in '60s garage and folk rock, rinsed with psychedelia and jangle. It manages to simultaneously sound mysterious and innocent. And while it certainly isn't music aiming for the bullseye of any commercial channel, it is timeless music superbly crafted. We are going to be playing it for a long, long time.

Joe Walsh wrote, sang, and preformed most of the instruments on Electric Threads, although his brother Sam contributed as well. Electric Threads is out now in vinyl and digital formats via Hidden Bay Records (France), Safe Suburban Home (UK), and Repeating Cloud (US).

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Bandcamp for Electric Threads (Hidden Bay Records)(European Purchasers)

Bandcamp for Electric Threads (US purchases)

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Smashing Times -Bloom

 

Bloom deserves a lot more fanfare than we have observed about it. Thirteen tracks of jangling, twee folk rock, vibrant psychedelic pop and freakbeat reminding us variously of Felt, The Jasmine Minks, Sneaky Feelings and Television Personalities, and sounding to us a lot like a well-curated playlist of hits. But despite the wide influences, and perhaps partially because of them, the album sounds fresh and original. Of course, credit for that largely goes to the writing and execution by The Smashing Times.

The five-piece resides in Baltimore, Maryland, although their musical hearts seem well traveled in place to the UK, New Zealand and California, and in time to the '60s, '80s and '90s. But our musical hearts travel the same spots in the time-space continuum, which may explain why an album new to our ears sounds like it has been in our brains forever. One listen was all it took to move Bloom to our list of favorite albums this year, and repeated listens find it insinuating up the ranks. We highly recommend that your treat your ears.

Bloom is out now via Spanish label Meritorio Records.

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