Friday, June 22, 2012

[Quick Fixes] Shogun Assassins, Het Droste Effect, Sunflare, Farflung/Black Rainbows, Ocean Towers


This week, "Quick Fixes" feature five top-notch releases. The first one by Shogun Assassins is moving in the quite popular heavy rock revival wave while the others - by Het Droste Effect, Sunflare, Farflung/Black Rainbows and Ocean Towers - are four gems of today's (heavy) psych scene. Enjoy!
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Shogun Assassins - Blue Liquid, Black Sounds, Red Display EP

Year: 2012
Hometown: Copenhagen, Denmark
Tracklist: 
01. My Electric Mistress
02. Laid Off
03. Roadhouse Rumbles



I always stated that Denmark's rock scene is one of the more qualitative ones. I can't remember a single Danish band I've heard that was below good. Shogun Assassins are the latest addition to this list. They've just released their second EP "Blue Liquid, Black Sounds, Red Display" - co-produced by Johan Lei Gellet (see Baby Woodrose) and mastered by Alex Saltz (see Rocky Erickson) who both of them made an excellent job -  featuring three tracks of groovy, blues-driven psych rock. They're blinking an eye to the 70's heavy rock bands while Colour Haze's legacy plays a major role as an influence. The retro/vintage rock feeling is all over it (if anyone from Transubstans Record is reading, just sign them) but in the same time, sounds so fresh and "modern"! You can download it by paying anything you want from their bandcamp or get a physical copy (which comes in awesome packaging).
Thanks to Shogun Assassins for sending a copy of their cd! 

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Het Droste Effect - Lingerland

Year: 2012
Hometown: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Tracklist: 
01. Knocking On The Sky
02. Lingerland
03. 't Silveren Seepaerd
04. Granada
05. Loose Fit #1


Het Droste Effect are back with a new EP, titled "Lingerland", just one year after their debut's release. Their impact last year was quite big especially for a young band. In "Lingerland", they continue the evolution of their distinctive sound based mainly in heavy psych, enriched by prog and even some jazz touches... This time they're one step closer to space rock as their fellow compatriots 35007 "taught" them. Undoubtedly, another crazy, fuzzed out piece for my "best of" list for this year. You can download it for free from their bandcamp.

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Sunflare - Ghetto Blast

Year: 2012
Hometown: Lisbon, Portugal
Tracklist:
01. Don't Belong
02. Biker Jinx





Ho Ho Ho! Another great release from Portugal! Keep them coming guys... Well this one is not for everyone though. If you're having a pair of sensible, fragile ears just leave it. I mean don't even think about listening to it. But if you're one of the chosen few who praise bands like High Rise, Mainliner, King Blood, Vermonster or even Purling Hiss' raw noisy moments then this is what you need. Two tracks, 37 minutes of fuzzed out heavy psych insanity or else thousands of burned brain cells. Oh this is so fucking good! A filthy, noisy, ear-bleeding attack kicking you right in the nuts. I warned you. Fry your brain now!

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Farflung/Black Rainbows - Split
Year: 2012
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA / Rome, Italy
Tracklist:
01. Lupine (Farflung)
02. Punching Hole In The Twilight (Farflung)
03. No Circuit (Farflung)
04. Let It Shine (Black Rainbows)
05. The River, The Moon, The White Lake, The Megaelectrofantafuzzspace (Black Rainbows)
06. The Devil & The Dream (Black Rainbows)


Third split released in the last few months by Farflung which is great since we're talking for one of my favorite bands here. Their co-travelers this time are Black Rainbows an excellent Italian psych-stoner band. Each band contributes with three tracks. Farflung's tunes are in the same high standards as always; powerful, feverish, infectious. Personal favorite is their third one ("No Circuit"), the most space-y of all. On the other side, Black Rainbows are moving in more groovy, straightforward paths but they also use a lot of cool effects, bringing their psych-self out. I loved their guitar work in all three tracks with the frequent use of guitar breaks and cuts. If you like their songs, be sure to check their album too.

Farflung | Black Rainbows
Physical Needs
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Ocean Towers - Chapter 2

Year: 2012
Hometown: Halifax, NS, Canada
Tracklist:
01. March Of The Twelve Dozen
02. Before The Revolution





This week I'm constantly stumbling upon remarkable releases. And last but not least is Ocean Towers' second work. As in their debut last year, we're talking about some fine psych stoner rock but this time they're more focused on the psych side. "Chapter 2" features two long instrumental jams (more than 15 minutes each). They're quite repetitive in a ritual way which leads you to a state of trance. A lot of ambience is present too and they definitely have this raw live-in-studio, experimental feeling. A first class piece of instrumental psych jams that cannot pass unnoticed. Download it by paying anything you want from their bandcamp (there you can find their debut too in the same kind of deal)

Facebook | Bandcamp
Physical Needs
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Written by Thanos

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