Geelong musician and songwriter Laguna is continuing to carve out a space between garage experimentation and psychedelic abrasion with new single ‘Myrtle’, a restless, fuzz-covered track that feels both chaotic and strangely focused. Operating under the Laguna moniker, James Guida has steadily built momentum since debuting the project in 2024, pushing deeper into a sound shaped by ‘60s psych-fuzz, experimental rock and a willingness to let rough edges remain visible.
Self-produced from his home studio, ‘Myrtle’ leans heavily into texture and movement. Distorted guitars grind against insistent rhythms while the track’s pacing rarely settles long enough to feel comfortable. There’s an exhaustion built into the song’s momentum, though it seems intentional rather than accidental, mirroring Guida’s own description of the recording process as both draining and cathartic.
What keeps Laguna interesting is the refusal to smooth out those imperfections. Rather than chasing polished psych-rock nostalgia, ‘Myrtle’ feels more like an attempt to drag older influences into something harsher and more immediate. Guida points toward the continuing relevance of those influences directly, framing the track as a reflection of the current moment as much as an homage to the past.
The accompanying VHS-style video extends that atmosphere further. Grainy visuals, warped textures and last-minute fisheye close-ups give the clip the feeling of something assembled instinctively rather than meticulously planned. Instead of working against the track, that roughness becomes part of its appeal. The limitations of old handycams and VCR aesthetics are embraced rather than hidden, giving ‘Myrtle’ the same handmade unpredictability that drives the music itself.
With each release, Laguna appears less interested in fitting neatly within contemporary psych-rock revivalism and more focused on testing how much noise, tension and immediacy can sit inside those familiar forms before they fracture completely.
Stream ‘Myrtle’ HERE.
