On-the-rise Southampton three-piece, Mystic Peach have released two psychedelic new singles. Jake Longhurst gives his take.
After being lucky enough to receive an email asking if I’d like early access to the new Mystic Peach single, I had to take the offer up even if I wasn’t nearly as familiar with the band as I would like to be. That has all changed however, after listening to the song and really enjoying it. Having now had a much more thorough listen to their back catalogue, I feel far more equipped to address the matter at hand that is their new single, Ursodfrnt, and its accompanying B-side The Other Half.
The lead single starts with a rolling, fuzzed out riff that quickly evolves into a writhing beast of a track, before making a sharp twist into a massively psychedelic influenced section, and then pivoting back into the aggressive style of before. The song is very bipolar in its styles, which would be jarring to listen to in the hands of another band, but Mystic Peach have worked this out excellently into a brilliant meld of a psychedelic post-punk track, and a hyper-aggressive punk/grunge song.
Mystic Peach vocalist and guitarist, Curtis Gale has described the concept of the song, saying "This is
our perspective of a modern society where we spectate on petty, point scoring and vindictive layabouts that lack the initiative to take up a hobby that isn’t scanning strangers lives. A simple, dumbed-down ‘utopia’ that has no room for simple life. So here’s a song to suit the needs of modern life, a verse that promises so much, but the chorus is lacklustre. Senseless lyrics with words that no one knows what it’s meant to mean. A perfect recipe to attract the attention of our fellow primates.”
"These guys have plenty of anger in the bank, and won’t be wasting any time in letting it out."
The B-side starts off a little more relaxed, but then builds into straight up punk aggression with grunge misanthropy and almost metalcore vocals at points, whilst seamlessly switching back and forth with the psychedelic style the band have become so good at. The song is full of piss and vinegar, with a sneer or a scowl behind every line, and plenty of vitriol fuelling the nihilistic screams and howls Gale is producing throughout the song.
Both lead single and B-side are excellent examples of new wave grunge, but with plenty more
going on than just a cut and copy Nirvana or Soundgarden rip off. These guys have plenty of
anger in the bank, and won’t be wasting any time in letting it out.
Jake Longhurst
Edited by: Caradoc Gayer
In article photo and cover image courtesy of Zeitgeist press release.
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