Here we are again… another year and another Psych Lovers Top 20… once again members of the eponymous Facebook group have voted for their favourites of the year, and the written about them in their own words… so you don’t need me to prattle on here… enjoy these excellent appreciations of some fantastic music.

1.     Acid Rooster – Hall of Mirrors (Cardinal Fuzz)

After the aftermath of their debut UK show in Glasgow’s Nice n Sleazys and a rather late after-party on the 23rd of July the band finally arrived one by one in the afternoon at Dystopia studios in Glasgow, if not a little worse for wear.  The tapes finally begin to roll with Jason Shaw at the helm, the band are on a tight two-day schedule to get all four tracks nailed down before continuing the rest of their debut UK tour,

I headed through the next day as I’ve seen clips of bands recording on TV but I’ve never been at the actual birth of an album.

Acid Rooster don’t turn up with rehearsed tracks or demos, it’s totally improvised, off the cuff gut recordings,  It’s a beautiful summers day when I arrive at the Studio, I head upstairs to find Jason and Luigi then we head downstairs for sum final checks, before heading up stairs to hit record,  first track  “Automat,”  take off with a familiar sounding guitar, then it hits me it’s Pink Floyd from the opening guitar riff and it’s interspersed throughout the opening track I can’t put my finger on It, it might be one of these day’s from Echoes, Which is an album I was brought up with as a kid, It’s my fave Floyd album and probably why Acid Rooster were an instant hit with me,  it’s certainly an engaging opening track that immediately immerses you on a spiritual space journey  A solid rhythm section, with deep  bass lines ,  continuous tempo changes gets us off on a pulsing start from deep space.

I head down stairs to hide in a corner and we’re off again a second track , “Chandelier Arp,” takes off, it’s an epic fourteen minute monster  The intensity increases as the minutes pass it’s a slower burner for sure layering the guitar melodies and Moog sounding synths to  build the psychedelic sound scape to an almost  continuous shamanic before  building and lifting you up for the finale crescendo,

Jason pops in and we’re both like wow before heading upstairs to do some adjustments before the next track, the band started to play while waiting on the green light. Again, and it’s another space cosmic jam shorter but just as sweet. Jason appears, “wow is that an old track?” he asks. “No”, the lads reply, “we just made it up”. “Are you recording?”, they ask. “No!” replies Jason. “Dam!  It’s gone, which is a shame, it would have fitted on the album perfectly”.

It’s green light time Confidence of Ignorance is recorded next, it’s a slow soothing number with its middle eastern burning incense, enveloping us all in the building in some far away mystic shimmering desert.

Were finally on to the last track

When Clouds Part and again this has a Pink Floyd influence, it instantly reminds me of Us And Them as we transcend  through this thought provoking melodic spacy outro wit it’s dreamy and more delicate slower paced drums the guitar parts which includes Jason Shaw  on his guitar to add to this dreamy ending track to what’s to be one hell of a recording session and experience especially for me. To see and hear an album at its birth.

By Stevie Graham

2. Goat – Goat (Rocket Recordings)

This is where the popularity clause finally comes into play.

It is outrageous to allow this practice at all, but I ordered the latest work by this Swedish magic team and was pleasantly surprised.

I have already celebrated these horned artiodactyls twice in my TOP12 with the albums Commune (2014) & Requiem (2016).

I continued to follow their career, ´Double Date´ (2018) a short excursion on 10″ as a film accompaniment, ´Head Soup´(2021) a superb collection of hard-to-get-B-Sides and two unreleased Tracks on additional 7”, ´Oh Death´ (2022) is in my collection but didn’t appeal to me, bailed out ´The Gallows Pole´ (2023) also a score, not relevant? Not on my shelf. ´Medicine´ (2023) often appeared in groups, but didn’t find my ear, maybe I should check back both of it.

With ´Levitation Sessions´ (2023) back in the game it reminded me of their quality, live and true and oh WOW songs nowhere else to be found!

´Tarot will teach you´ (sadly only on cassette! ARGH!),

´Behind the Plank´, ´Lorcan´ and ´Midnight Madness´. So far so very good.

And here we are, please turn to eleven. Wonderful. A lot of it is familiar, ever since the vocally magical choirs at call and answer, distinctive rhythms and grooves. small voodoo experiments combined within. ‘Goatbrain’ surprisingly comes up with some in this frame ancient-futuristic elements up to folk funk gypsy trance. This is Goat at its high level we know, prefer, conquer and celebrate, souls only divide when in between they tinkle, and the guitars never stop.

Love it or stay any day. This is the way of the goat. Follow. And you will find.

By Holger Schilling

=3. The Janitors – An Error Has Occurred (Rocket Recordings)

The Janitors have been at this rock ‘n roll lark for 20 years – and their take on it is a very satisfying mix of fuzzed up psychedelic drone.  A pointy booted, skinny jeaned exercise in controlled noise, burying the melodies with a weird tenderness, and feedback. Lots of it.

The lyrical themes throughout this LP deal with loss, and a sadness at the predicament that the human race finds itself in, conveyed through driving rhythms, pulsing bass, and guitars that on occasion, threaten to launch to the cosmos. The first track Anger at the World finishes with a guitar drone orchestra that alone is worth the price of admission.

For those that love the Jesus and Mary Chain, Spacemen 3, and Loop you will immediately feel at home amongst the drone, and the shimmering soundscapes and angst-ridden vocals. There is something ‘very 1988’ about this record…and that is more than cool with me. If you are like me and react in a Pavlovian way to a single fuzzed guitar chord drenched in reverb and fuzz, then you are going to love this record.

The record pounds along on rhythms designed for serious head gnodding, creating a groove for the dro)))ne and the sturm and drang to hang off and engulf…having witnessed this first hand, when the band paid a visit to Bristol playing the Crofters Rights (RIP) in May 2024, I am pleased to report that the live sound is captured in the grooves of this record. Listening to it again for this review takes me back to the vital live experience…if I were you, I would listen to it now. Stop what you are doing and listen…now. You will thank me.

By Dave Voss

=3. Kombynat Robotron – West Mata (Clostridium, Cardinal Fuzz & Little Cloud)

West Mata is the Kiel-based trio’s 6th studio album.  Rather than the normal cosmic influences and space-rock this LP appears to take maritime inspiration from the ocean…so this is yacht rock then? Well, no, to be honest I wouldn’t have minded a bi of Steely Dan or Michael McDonald’s vocals…but this is another sort of aquatic adventure.

The LP consists of 3 pieces, they are not songs as such more movements that each extend into the double-digit range, the longest being Jason II clocking in at almost 22 minutes. When this listener got his head round the ocean theme the music made more sense…the music ebbs like tide, falls and crashes like waves…there is sense that these pieces could loop for hours, days, or maybe forever?

So, what are the ocean themes of the music, well we have Jason, clocking at 21mins and 54 seconds a floating piece offered as a musical tribute to Jason, a hero of Greek legend, who travels across the sea with the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece. Side 2 contains Vasa, named after a Swedish warship, that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628. And finally, Trieste, a submarine designed in the 1950s for deep-sea exploration.  Do you need to know any of this to enjoy the music, weirdly I found it helped – something to meditate on while the music ebbed and flowed, shimmering guitars playfully leaping out of the waves caused by the motion of the rhythms.

So, it’s not Yacht Rock, but it is a komische musik stye cruiser on the oceans of time and space…or something. And that is fine, me hearties.

By Dave Voss

=3. Smote – A Grand Stream (Rocket Recordings)

Some albums capture you. You lose all sense of time, tracks, sometimes you can tell there’s been a change, but is it a new song? You’re not sure. Not that it matters. You’re not just listening. You’re surrounded, you’re inside the music. The only escape is to cut the music, but you don’t really want to. You feel compelled to stay there. And when it ends is when you’re really lost. A Grand Stream, by Smote, is one of these albums. 4 songs (the first and the last being divided in 2 parts), with an interlude (Chantry) in the middle, for 76 minutes. Expect to be taken for an eldricht ride.

Smote is a band ran by Daniel Foggin, from the UK, delivering a (mostly) instrumental, folk droning psychedelic music.

I discovered Smote with their 2023 album, Genog. I was quickly convinced by the unrelenting, shamanic rhythms, and the general tribal folk vibe, with some Indian and other indigenous influences, and long, long repetitive build ups that make you lose all sense of self. But Genog was, I wouldn’t say light or cheerful, but at least a bit recomforting, like a moonlight clearing in an otherwise dark forest. Things took on a heavier, darker side on A Grand Stream. Guitars are rawer, more stringent, reminiscing of the darker bands in post rock. The general ambient is gloomier, more sluggish. For better or worse? I could not say. Not that it matters either. It’s a different ambient, for a different time or mood.

The only thing I’m sure of is that when the album is over, I feel loss. I want to go back to it. I need a pause before I can listen to something else. That is how compelling this album is.

By François Momo

6. Slift – Ilion

Not that long ago now a good friend of mine pointed me to a YouTube video of a KEXP session. I hadn’t heard of the band before but I kinda like exploring new sounds so I popped my headphones in and hit play. The session was recorded at the Trans Musicales festival in Rennes and that band were Slift. That video of a live performance of the title track from their Ummon album blew my tiny mind. How could a three-piece band produce this all-consuming wall of sound? That video, I later discovered, had become a viral sensation racking up more than 1.4 million YouTube views. Deservedly so. I absolutely devoured their back catalogue and have been eagerly awaiting what they were going to do next.

SLIFT is made up of brothers Jean and Remí Fossat and Canek Flores, who first met the brothers Fossat at school. With two studio and one live album under their belts they’ve now made the move to Sub Pop after their successful singles club release with the label in late 2023. Their third album is now out and is called Ilion after the Ancient Greek word for the city of Troy and, conceptually speaking, picks up where UMMON left off. The band describe the album as follows.

“This is an album constructed in the manner of a Homeric story. Where the two records differ is that Ilion is about human emotions and feelings, whereas Ummon was telling an epic story with a distant view. Ilion represents the fall of humanity and the rebirth of all things in time and space.”

Each of the eight tracks on show is expansive, with the exception of one track all clock in upwards of eight minutes. Let’s dive in and get lost in this new world Slift have created for us.

We open on the title track, Jean Fosset’s primal vocal as ever providing the biting point that the song hangs on. It’s his brothers stunning bass work that caught my ear immediately. It sounds like they’ve joined Led Zep for a moment. It’s that trademark Slift wall of noise that carries us into the album. Briefly punctuated by a calming Kosmische interlude before we are called back to the action again with the war cry from Jean. By the time we reach the closing moments we’ve entered Black Sabbath territory which leads us neatly into the next track.

It’s with a 70’s prog flourish that we enter headlong at full speed into ‘Nimh’. Again, just listen to the bass create the complex framework for the heavy guitars to play on. That ascending chord sequence, (you’ll know it when you hear it) just gets me buzzing every time. This feels like a journey at breakneck speed through the galaxy and into the void. The almost ambient break in the middle felt like emerging from a black hole into some new existence before the band return, doomier and sludgier than before to welcome us to our new reality.

A galactic clock ticking ushers in ‘The Words That Have Never Been Said’. Not for long though, Jean’s roar leads the charge as the band appear, all at once, amps set to infinity. Things soon settle into a more jazzy, more free flowing form. With Flores rolling around his toms and the dancing around the songs core structure it’s not long before we slow down to an atmospheric breakdown before returning, more furious than ever to the animated and lively spaced-out sounds. Theres something intoxicating about that rolling rhythm, ever shifting and undulating. This song casts a spell over the listener and has you in it’d thrall until the closing notes.

Things lean into jazz territory with the serpentine sax solo opening ‘Confluence’. It’s epic space jazz though. What we have is the sound of the cosmos passing by as we exit the milky way for destinations unknown. When Jean’s spiralling guitar kicks in its almost in complete sympathy to the sax part, as if passing the baton in some intergalactic relay. That slowly evolves ushering in a harder sound to close out.

The band wind the clock back to mediaeval times with the druidic chanting of ‘Weavers Weft’. This feels like a very modern take on seventies prog. The psychedelia is turned up to the max whilst ramping up the utter ferocity of the guitar textures. It almost enters doom metal territory in places. Always pulling back though to allow the core themes of the song shine through. This track is the sound of the band revelling in experimentation and it really suits them.

‘Uruk’ begins with the eeriest of riffs. Like some long-lost soundtrack to a forgotten horror movie. Remi takes up vocal duties allowing his higher register to add to the atmosphere of mystery and supernatural shenanigans. Jean’s guitar sounds different here. In the quieter movements its thinner and more vulnerable than usual. However, when this song explodes that impenetrable sonic assault returns and we are helpless to it.

The 12-minute odyssey that is ‘The Story That Has Never Been Told’ begins innocently enough. Spaced out synths and lightly picked out guitar plays foil to the brother’s chorister like vocals. Guitars start to ramp up into a ‘Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy’ like arpeggio laden delivery. The band never venture into that doom metal sound across the expanse of this track which really makes it leap out the speakers. Especially that frenetic and joyous closing section. The sheer abandon is infectious, and you are just swept up and taken along for the ride.

The album closes out on a highly experimental piece of electronica. ‘Enter the Loop’ throws us one final curveball as the band create a dense soundscape populated by arrhythmic drums, washes of modular synth and metallic feedback.  It’s so alien and unnerving. Slift choose to leave us on edge and wondering what we have just experienced. It’s a bold and ballsy way to close out an album and I applaud them for it.

Ilion is yet another statement album from Slift. This band have always been sonic explorers but on Ilion that exploration has taken them to somewhere I don’t think they even though they would end up. This isn’t one of those albums you can just pop on and enjoy a side of. This album demands your full attention because, like it or not, you’re going on a journey to places you never even knew existed. Theres so much to enjoy here for fans of post rock, shoegaze, psyche, prog hell, even folk music. You owe it to yourself to put aside one hour and 19 minutes of your day to disappear into the grooves of this album. Who knows where it’ll take you.

Ilion is out now on Sub Pop records. Theres a few lovely vinyl variants as well as CD and digital options too.

By Mark Anderson

7. Upupayama – Mount Elephant (Fuzz Club)

Far Eastern influences in Western rock music have been around since the days of our four all-world fancies, the mop tops, mushroom heads, er sorry I´m speaking of The Beatles. In the 60s, this gave us a real sitar groove beat wave. Since then, the 12-string instrument in particular has regularly found its way into Western rock music, especially in the psychedelic sector.

For some time now, there has been a revival of New World Music, in which East and West dance psychedelic music. Even VISIONS recently had a brilliant report on the history, development and present. Altin Gün, Kikagaku Moyo, Tinariwen, Yin Yin, just to name a few. Maybe as a difference these outfits are all working in a classic band outfit with several members. In the case of Upupayāma this stuff is created by oneman-installment Alessio Ferrari hailin from Parma, Italy. Already two longplayers “s/t” (2021) + “The Golden Pond” (2022). His sound is directly rooted in this world music psych cycle underground.

He serves up Western Blues Chisseles, enriched with Easter elements. Entangled with both inherent rhythms and scales. While the wolf howls at the moon in the opening, later that journey Thimpu comes straight to the elephoint.

This calm work is particularly rich in tension due to the Western-Eastern discrepancy. And once the inevitable sitar (is that ALSO a coral sitar there?) is pulled out of the musty briefcase, the raja session is a done deal.

By Holger Schilling

=8. Kikagaku Moyo – Hasenheide (Live)

The sort of music that I would normally associate with weddings is not generally the sort of thing that I would expect to have on a Psych Lovers AOTY list. But here we are.. a live performance at a wedding in Austria by Japanese wonder band Kikagaku Moyo… how they ended up playing at a celebration of nuptials amongst the Alps is not fully explained… but here it is, a wonderful set from a band for whom no two gigs were the same.

The performance took place in 2016 when the band were at the peak of their powers (actually when were they not, but their tour of that year devastated venues around the world) and was probably my favourite gig of that decade… so just imagine having that band perform at a party you’re turned up at… just wow!

Although the album is unofficial it is done very professionally by Justin Barwick, who arranged the original booking, and has been pressed onto vinyl in 2024 (hence its eligibility for this list) with the blessing of the band. I hope that it is not the last live album to appear as there must be some outstanding recordings sitting on someone’s hard drive somewhere just waiting to see the light of day… I would invest heavily in these artefacts and no doubt get my own party started as a result.

By Simon Smith

=8. Causa Sui – From The Sorce

2025 is Causa Sui’s 20th year of releasing top quality music.  They were directly responsible for getting me back into psychedelic music with Euphorie Tide in 2013, and their unbroken run of brilliance continues with ‘From the Source’.  From the driving balls-to-the wall heavy riffing of opener Sorcerer’s Disciple to the more delicate blues of Dusk Dwellers to the more delicate guitar/keys interplay of The Spot, side one satisfyingly sets up side two’s epic Visions of a New Horizon.  Across 24 minutes that are a masterclass in slow build and release, with sections of power and beauty in equal measure, Visions of a New Horizon captures the brilliance of four musicians entirely attuned to each other. It’s breathtaking music, ‘out there’ in the way only true psychedelic music can be, but yet remaining tuneful and compelling. Another triumph.

By Mark Burnell

10. Karkara – All Is Dust (Stolen Body Records)

Picture the scene. Product development and quality control sitting around a boardroom table at ‘Inflatable Sumo Wrestler Suits Ltd’. They’ve come up with a brand-new design and are wondering of its durability. Jean turns to Pierre from Quality Control with his best Inspector Clouseau accent and asks, “How are we going to test this new ‘Sumo 1000’ suit for its durability?” Pierre ponders for a moment and asks, “Aren’t that local band Karkara touring their brand-new album ‘All is Dust’ at the moment? I think they are playing here at Le Metronum in their hometown of Toulouse tonight!” Jean questions, “What’s that got to do with the durability of the Sumo 1000?” “Well,”, says Pierre, “They are well known for their rowdy mosh pits due to the furious upbeat style of music!”. “Perfect!” replies Jean with enthusiasm.

Forward to selected college geek (Dave) to wear said suit to said gig, which is actually the launch party of Karkara’s third album ‘All Is Dust’ out on Stolen Body Records. All eyes are on Dave front and centre of the most pit.  Karim Rihani (guitar/vocals), Hugo Olive (bass/synth) and Maxime Marouani (drums/vocals) enter the stage to rapturous applause. Dave now has sweat dripping of his face, knowing what’s about to happen!

 Through the dry ice Karim starts off with a monologue taken from the opening track ‘Monoliths’ which sounds like it could be taken from the opening of the latest Star Wars movie! The drums kick in and off we go. The crowd go wild on the front few rows! Plastic pint cups of beer are now being thrown in the air in exchange for a mass mosh. Dave is now bouncing around like a pinball in an arcade game unaware of how to win the game. The band quickly turn up the pace with songs, ‘The Chace’ & ‘On Edge’ with the Fuzz Wah turned up to 10. Towards the end of ‘On Edge’ it slows down giving the crowd a breather and a chance for some of the front row to avail of the toilet facilities and a new T shirt from the merch to replace the sweat drenched ones they had been wearing previously. This gives the opportunity for new blood on the front row to box Dave in who is already weary but surprisingly still intact. “Moonshiner” continues into a King Gizzard style meander and then full-on fuzz towards the end. The penultimate track ‘Anthropia’ is the shows highlight track which poke the crowd into further delirium. Karim jumps into the crowd hoping for a crowd surf but instead bounces off Sumo Dave and ends back on the stage before he knows it.

Karim alerts the crowd that the next one is their final track, titled, ‘All is Dust’. There is a ferocious start to this one which has the first 10 rows battling it out for prime pogoing positions. At times the vocals are at full SLIFT mode and guitars shredding blocks of cheese in seconds. Towards the end the band finish off how they started, with a monologue of Godlike proportions. The band open their eyes to witness at least 75% of the crowd on the ground with various broken bones and Sumo Dave standing in the middle looking around hoping it’s all over.

Around the boardroom table the next day at ‘Inflatable Sumo Wrestler Suits Ltd’, Pierre from quality control is astonished at how well the suit has withstood the battering it got from the ferocious Karkara gig. It is decided by marketing that the sumo suit be rebranded to the ‘Front Row 5000’, “Saving nerds from a battering at gigs on the front row”.

Yes! Karkara ‘Front Row 5000s’ are coming to a merch table near you for all you Dave’s in the world!

By Ian Mc Glynn

11. Maquina – Prata (Fuzz Club)

I first encountered Lisbon’s Maquina after they signed to Fuzz Club in late 2023 with the promise of their second album coming shortly after.

Prata, released shortly before their mind-blowing performance at Fuzz Club Eindhoven 2024 manages to translate the frenetic spark of their live performance into something solid, sustainable and genre-bending. The music trio of bassist Tomás, João on guitar, and Halison balancing both drums and vocals urge their audience to move, nodding reverentially to industrial, techno, motorik, and almost disco beats.

The album opens with Body Control – a bass driven, repetitive groove, backdropped by guitar loops and drums. Vocals shout at us through the noise created – ‘Devote your body’, give yourself to the music.

The guitars are more to the front in Denial with the bass holding the backline. Klaxons and loops among the noise supply electronica from the strings.

Waterfall sounds at the start of Subversive can fool you into thinking you’re about to watch one of those whimsical 60’s tv shows – Bewitched or similar – just for a few seconds before the bass drags you back into the dark industrial wasteland you’re dancing your socks off in. Imagine fractured black mirrored disco balls hanging from girders and you have it about right.

Drums and vocals echo through Kontakte as the guitar runs give an urgency to everything – they are giving us a choice (or is it a challenge?) – ‘just work or just dance’.

Desterro speeds up the dance – music as strobe, flashing at us.

The final track Concentrate allows all elements to the front at times, each riding the wave to shore before being pulled out again by the currents.

Prata draws its 6 wires into one large, twisted cable giving the listener more with each turn.  Layers of sound, sometimes you’re moving to the bass, other times the drums, dancing, or at home on the turntable. A euphoric audio experience that leaves you wanting more: ‘body transmission, body music’.

By Denise Arkley

12. Psychic Lemon – The Unheimlich Kingdom (Drone Rock Records)

The Unheimlich Kingdom is the fourth studio album from Psychic Lemon, their first since 2019’s Freak Mammal, and also the first as a pared back duo after the departure of bassist Andy Hibberd. That said, the sound that Andy Briston and Martin Law served up is anything but stripped back as what we have here is an unruly, heavy, dense, dark beast that sees a change of direction from the previous 3 studio releases. This is more a progression of the frustration and despair they unleashed on 2023’s Jam tapes after having previous album plans scuppered by the COVID pandemic.

The album kicks of with ‘Trepanning for Gold’ (a brilliant title) and we are introduced to a repeated heavy three chord riff firmly grounded by a pounding drum. As it continues, swathes of swirling, swooping guitars are layered on top as it insidiously drills it’s way into your brain.

The dense sound continues into second track ‘Cognitive Dissidents’. It’s a brooding head filling swirl of driving patterns. ‘National Psycho Geographic’ surges, and dips with a treble guitar interspersing the heaviness as a counterpoint to the heaviness.

And with the first 20 minutes over we are on to the title track weighing in at just under a hefty 21 minutes. Unheimlich apparently means uncanny ( or at a stretch, weird) which coming off the back of the pandemic perfectly sums up the UK. From bleak to despairing, there was no light around the corner and this track plumbs those depths of anger and frustration. It sounds like the soundtrack if you were dropped into a horror movie in a dystopian landscape with a Motorik soundtrack. It is pummeling, punishing, and highly overwhelming.

In all, returning listeners may not immediately recognise this incarnation of Psychic Lemon, but they have returned with a vengeance, a heavy brooding, hypnotic, entrancing vengeance that once it hooks you won’t let go.

Despair and anger have never sounded so good.

By Peter Baird

13. The Cosmic Dead – Infinite Peaks (Heavy Psych Sounds)

With their 2017 album Cosmic Dead claimed ‘Psych is Dead’, returning in 2024 with a line-up change after a brief hiatus, if Psych was metaphorically on life support due to their efforts back then, well, it’s certainly in need of resuscitating post 2024’s opus ‘Infinite Peaks’.

For me the beauty of the Cosmic’s new album is an almost ‘does exactly what it says on the tin’ quality. Kicking off as though you’re already at a high altitude basecamp, you quickly ascend atop a monstrous riff suitably powered by Omar’s signature heavy bass guitar and Tommy’s raucous drum crescendos, this time both supporting a combination of the electric fiddle and synth (no less). Quickly reaching an initial summit, the opening induces what can only be described as somewhat akin to a low oxygen head rush. Yet just less than a third of the way through the first of two 20 min+ tracks you realise this is just a local maxima, and only the beginning of your real journey into the infinite…

From this point on, through a series of what really does feel like the audio to traversing the stiff peaks and peaceful troughs of a treacherous yet rewarding climb, the intensity amps up, the energy remains palpable, and the listening experience is simply mesmerising. A solid rock of an album getting me through a year that felt somewhat similar to its swinging nature, the Glaswegian jamsters more than delivered yet again, lang may their rums leek!

By Rich Jonston

14. Gnod – Spot Land (Rocket Recordings)

One of the constants of our musical world here has been the shape shifting musical mercury that is Gnod. I’ve seen em through a drone phase, a psych rock blaze, a techno banger machine and then an ever more krushing bulldozer of a riff juggernaut. And actually that last bit had gone on for a quite a bit and was, let’s be honest, a bit burned out. A dead end of repeatedly driving screaming into a wall.

So imagine my surprise when “Spot Land” turned up at my door unannounced one morning (still can’t get my head around that. Can’t remember ever ordering it). From the off we are bathed in monastical chants, thrummed and strummed chords, burbling and bubbling electronics. Tracks meander beatifically by, beckoning you to go on a mental wander. It’s all quite lovely and bucolic and a complete 180 from the past few years anger howlers. Tired? A moment of calm in the eye of the now world storm?? Paddy super chilled in Portugal??? Who knows but savour the quiet with this.

By James Smith

15. Helicon – Live In London (Rubber Duck)

Helicon lit up a foul and rainy night in Hackney back in summer 2023 and finished off the God Intentions tour in fine style. It would be impossible to fully capture the Helicon live experience on vinyl – you need to be in amongst it to really pick up on the vibe and atmosphere which is always special – but this is as close as you’re going to get to being there. The live mix brings out the harder, heavier psych edges of their sound but still allows the lighter melodic touches to shine through.

Naturally the set is based around the God Intentions record but you also get ‘Devil On your Tongue’ from their Fuzz Club debut, a truly epic version of ‘Permo, a venomous ‘What You Love…’ and then the gig peaks with ‘old’ classics ‘Seraph’ and ‘Tae The Moon’.

They’re a prolific bunch and have so many quality songs now they could easily put together a set twice as long, but this mix of tracks work well together and shows their unique ability to hit you like a sledgehammer but at the same time have beautiful subtle touches and emotions flowing out of the dense sound.

A great reminder of the night if you were there; something to whet your appetite if you’ve never seen them…and the next tour is never too far away!

By Gary Powell

=16.Kungens Män – För Samtida Djur 1

What can I write about Kungens Män that I have not scribed in many reviews on this website? Well for a start the fact that I have written about the band so often tells you that this is a band that does not rest and continues to put out music which, while having some common motifs, is always different… is always surprising… and is always great. This album is no different, and is one of two that the band brought out in 2024 (see below for the other one). From the phone ringing at the beginning to the dark saxophonic end this is a wonderful trip, and journey through the bands’ diverse influences which at times drags you along with it’s motorik intensity… “Vi kör på motorvägen” if you get my drift… while at other times it creeps deep into your soul with guitar playing that is redolent with meaning.

What is most amazing for me about this album is that the tracks on it are relatively short for Kungens Män (they average around 5 minutes) and yet you still get the feeling of long stretched out pieces which allow space for their development… a testament to a great band… and one that never stops on the musical motorvägen!

By Simon Smith

=16. Kungens Män – För Samtida Djur 2

There are a select few bands whose music I pre-order without reading reviews or litening to teasers, tracks and so on, and Kungens Män are just such a band. They are a melting pot of influences that includes krautrock, psychedelia, jazz, metal, punk, world music (and doubtless more besides), and one of the great things about their improvisations are the nods to those influences which emerge subtly from the combined efforts of the band. Beautifully recorded ‘För samtida djur 2’ puts you right in the room with the musicians, to the point where you can pick out individual contributions and really hear the magic unfold.

The beginning of the album sees a brief period of exploratory honks, twangs, bleeps and taps, but soon enough the bass and drums round them up and we’re off on a rollicking krautrock jam that will make you move, even if it’s just your head nodding involuntarily, or toes tapping along to the beat. The next two songs are less rambunctious, more about the interplay between the various musicians than the riotous opener, but continue to grow and change as the band explore the musical possibilities real-time. To close we’re back in the groove with that big composite sound popping and bopping along, the rhythm and groove keeping your feet entertained while your brain gets to muse on the individual components that make it sparkle right through to the trippy decaying notes at the end

Deeply rooted in the KM’s live performance this is a great album for established fans and newbies alike!

By Sean Gibbins

18. Hibushibire – Magical Metamorphosis Third Eye

If you’re on the lookout for an intriguing blend of soundscapes and storytelling, *Hibushibire – Magical Metamorphosis: Third Eye* is definitely worth your time. This piece pulls you in with its ethereal melodies and immersive audio design, creating an experience that feels almost otherworldly. From the very start, you’re greeted with an enchanting sound that feels both familiar and strange. The artists blend traditional and modern elements with such finesse that it feels like a journey through different dimensions of sound. It’s the type of audio experience that encourages listeners to close their eyes and let their imagination take flight. What makes this album particularly engaging is its ability to balance soft, meditative tones with moments that jolt you awake, stirring up deep emotions. The layering of sounds creates a rich tapestry that invites repeated listens. Each session reveals something new, making it a remarkable choice for anyone seeking both relaxation and stimulation. The production quality is top-notch; you can hear the care and craftsmanship that went into each track. Every note, every pause, and every swell has purpose. There’s a clear intention behind each sound that resonates well not just with the ears, but with the soul. In a world that sometimes feels chaotic, *Hibushibire* stands out as a sonic oasis. It’s an experience aimed at expanding the mind and heart, perfect for those who appreciate depth in music and sound. Whether you’re using it as a backdrop for meditation, study, or simply to unwind, it encourages a sense of exploration and personal metamorphosis. Overall, if you’re curious about how sound can transport you and shift your perspective, give *Hibushibire – Magical Metamorphosis: Third Eye* a listen. It’s a delightful adventure waiting to be discovered. So, are you ready to embark on this auditory journey? Trust me, you won’t regret it!

By The Third A-Eye

19. Snakes Don’t Belong in Alaska – Navengado Al Paraiso

I confess to know little about SDBIA, other than they referred to each other in “snake” contexts (bass snake, guitar snake etc), they are now, sadly, no longer actively producing music as SDBIA, what music they did release to date had not failed to impress me.

Therefore I was glad to be asked to review Navegando Al Paraiso, something I’d bought earlier in the year and really enjoyed, but with one thing and another (okay, there were LOADS of brilliant things to listen to last year!) I had shamefully cast aside into my wake of aural jetsam. A revisit was well overdue. So here we go…

It (First Breath Of Paradise) opens with a steady heartbeat, a drone – sounding almost like a bowed meditation bowl, joined by flute, a few guitar strings and random bells and percussion, all bouncing softly off the walls of a remote tropical basin. I feel relaxed, ready to drift awhile here, wait to see what appears. Gradually I become attuned to my new environment, picking out new additions, the guitar melodies skipping around the lepidopterous flute, which coax forth the first few brave avian souls, twittering and trilling me into the next, longer, track (Eternal Sunday).

Here, the birds carry me further on my journey, through shaded woodland and the insistent call of a cuckoo, skim across a shallow riverbed of time-worn stone, then up and over an opalescent waterfall that rears up in our path, continuing on to a calmer waterway, to deposit me streamside where guitar, bass and percussion lift me up further and take me to a higher plane. Accompanied by the now familiar drive of percussion I meet riffs of guitar, glowing blasts of electrical synth and experience rushes of pure, joyous energy that gradually lower me to a peaceful glade to rest.

I wake to the first rays of light to join my new companions in The Worship Of An Orange Sky God and feel myself in comfortable surroundings, with sounds reminiscent of my younger days, Spacemen 3 and Loop and no fear of the future. The vibrato of a mighty organ is joined by trumpet and soporific percussion, with guitar intertwining them all, twisting vine-like, ascending me higher.

These tendrils keep hold and drag me from my dream state into the final track of my adventure (My Void Is Full Of Colour). At first sounding like a reprise of the last, it builds gradually to include more synth, increasingly heavy guitar, driving bass, spiralling around my consciousness, waking thought centres that had laid dormant, waiting for a certain set of signals;

guitar (snake),

bass (snake),

drum (snake).

My mind has been opened. I’m sure, yes, positive I can hear Terence McKenna talking to me. Biology, mind, space, psychedelics; they are all here, and more. The world and its double, wild nights (wild nights!) rowing in Eden, Navegando Al Paraiso.

By Tristan Robinson

20. No Title as of 13 February 2024 28,340 Dead by Godspeed You! Black Emperor (Constellation)

This is the eighth studio album by Godspeed You Black Emperor. The title refers to the number of Palestinians lost in the Gaza war. The album is a collection of six tracks, seven on vinyl. 

As with much of GSBYE’s output there’s a lo-fi quality to this one. You can’t really differentiate the sound of this album to those which have come before it. It could have been recorded at any time, which in some way makes it seem timeless. Field recordings and cut up audio transmissions give way to slowly building distorted guitars, strings and jazz sounding drums. The tracks are long which allows for the gradual build up, crescendos and sense of foreboding to develop and entrance the listener.   There’s a certain something about this combination of instrumentation used in this way, which is so effective for conveying emotion, bands like The Dirty Three do this well too. I can imagine that they don’t care much for unnecessary production techniques or polishing their recordings rather just get their ideas and feelings down, capturing the moment in time. This creates the atmosphere and makes the album what it is.

GSYBE don’t need words to get their message across. This is a beautiful, emotionally charged album. At times harrowing yet carries an air of hopefulness and jubilation. The soundtrack to a slowly unfurling apocalypse and what may lie ahead.

By Ben Moore