Psych Insight
News: Cardinal Fuzz Sonic Attack at Liverpool PsychFest 2015
Small independent record labels are hugely important to the development of so much of what is good about the music scene these days. They enable bands to get their product out to people who they would not be able to reach on their own. Conversely they help those of us who want to hear great …
LIVE: Karma Alldayer. Temple of Boom, Leeds. 25-07-2015
The Temple of Boom, (which has to be one of the best names for a venue. Ever.), – neatly tucked away on a side street at the lower, less glamorous, side of Leeds – The whole venue – main stage, courtyard and recently opened ‘Meatlocker’ -has been taken over by leading psychonauts Karma Leeds for a full day of …
Say Psych: Album Review – Smoke Beach by Kill West
Kill West have already established themselves as firm favourites here at Psych Insight thanks to their debut EP (Kill West), still available on Drone Rock Records. Their mix of upbeat surf rock, droning psychedelia and downbeat blues seemed to provide the perfect balance. This is something that the band have transitioned to this release of …
Say Psych: Album Review – Heaven by Sundays and Cybele
I first came across Sundays and Cybele earlier this year when I heard the 2012 album release ‘Gypsy House’, which had just come out on vinyl on the brilliant Tokyo label GuruGuru Brain. If you are in any doubt about this check out the label’s Japanese Psych Compilation ‘GuruGuru Brainwash‘ which is a fantastically eclectic …
Psych Insight: EP Review – Array 1 by Loop
When the Pixies released the first of their three EPs after a prolonged absence, back in 2013, many suspected that the decision to stagger their new material was deliberately made to circumvent the critical emphasis that would have been inevitably placed on the songs, had they been released together in the traditional album format. It’s …
Say Psych: Album Review – Space Jungle Mantra by Lay Llamas
The Lay Llamas had something of a delayed impact on me last year. I bought the Rocket Recordings album ‘Ostro’ but it remained on the shelf largely unplayed for several months. When I did get it out again I really wondered why it had not clicked with me before, I loved it to such an …
Psych Insight: Track: Milarepa by Hills, plus debut album reissue news
Hills are one of my favourite bands of recent times, a Swedish collective who only seem to emerge from time to time, but when they do they always seem to leave a big impression on me. Their last album, ‘Master Sleeps’ (their second), was originally released by in 2011 and re-pressed on vinyl by Rocket Recordings …
Psych Insight: News – Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia 2015 line up
It is around about this time of year that my thoughts begin to turn to the Liverpool PsychFest, being held in the hugely atmospheric Baltic Triangle a stone’s throw away from the old Liverpool Docklands on 25th and 26th September. Now in its fourth year, the event is very much part of the ‘psych’ scene and, …
LIVE: Lisbon Psych Fest ’15 Highlights
First night at Lisbon Psych Fest one could already get a unique vibe from the people attending the shows. Colorful, peaceful and fun-loving, letting the driven guitar grooves and uplifting drums soak in, amazed at how could such a unique atmosphere be created in this city center theater. Highlights of the night were PAUW and …
Say Psych: Album Review – Pan by White Manna
A number of reviews of this latest album by Californian five piece White Manna have inevitably rested on their space rock credentials in relation to prime movers of the genre, Hawkwind. While this is understandable it is, in my view, also a little unfortunate because I rate this album as being significantly better than anything …