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 eight new tracks. However, while all the elements of the EP are there, the overall tone is darker with shoegazing vocals hovering below a surreal mist of bluesy guitar and deep psychedelic reverb grooves, taking the Kill West firmly into the territory recently occupied by the likes of Fuzz Club/ A Records acts such as Sonic Jesus and Dead Skeletons, with more than an element of the likes of Hookworms, especially on the motorik ‘Signs’.

If you like these bands you are not going to be disappointed with ‘Smoke Beach’ because this Argentinian five-piece (Franco Beceiro – Guitar & Vocals, Nicolás Miele – Drums, Mariano Miele – Synth/Keys/Drone, Joel Menazzi – Bass and Martin Valentini – Guitar) have produced an album which although not varied does what it sets out to do very well and, most importantly for a band just setting out, they are already showing signs of finding their own sound and developing into a strong unit.

‘Smoke Beach’ is available to stream/ download from the band’s bandcamp page, and on cd or cassette from a number of South American labels; check the Kill West Facebook page for more details.

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