https://www.high-endrolex.com/18

Album Review: Arcadian Child, Protopsycho

Posted in Reviews on December 16th, 2020 by JJ Koczan

Arcadian Child Protopsycho

With their third album, Protopsycho, Cypriot four-piece Arcadian Child enter a new stage of realization. Their progression has been quick in terms of productive turnaround from one album to the next, with 2017’s Afterglow (review here) getting picked up by Ripple Music‘s imprint Rebel Waves for release in 2018 ahead of the band’s second album, Superfonica (review here), that same year. Lockdown 2020 brought the live album From Far, For the Wild (review here) and word of Protopsycho in the making, and its arrival through Ripple, Kozmik Artifactz and the band’s own Bitter Tea Records finds Arcadian Child at a pivotal moment of their progression in terms of finding their sound. As in, they have.

They do so amid a swath of cultural and aesthetic influences. Cyprus’ position as an island nation finds it situated near the Middle East, Mediterranean Europe and Northern Africa, and Arcadian Child dig into melodies and rhythmic progressions endemic to the region. Early on Protopsycho, the second half of opener “Snakecharm” unfolds a groove that feels born of classic Greek psychedelia, and the winding melody of the subsequent “Wave High” builds on that feel in terms of style, as guitarists Stathis Hadjicharalambous and Panagiotis Georgiou (the latter also vocals), bassist/backing vocalist Andreas Kerveros and newly-arrived drummer Constantinos Pavlides purposefully bring together such traditionalism with a modern edge, not just as regards their own tonality or the production — the album was recorded, mixed and co-produced with Andreas Trachonitis in Nicosia — but on a deeper level of composition as well.

Perhaps most of all, Protopsycho is conscious of what it’s doing sound-wise without necessarily being restrained by that. It is the tightest core of songwriting Arcadian Child has yet brought to bear — which is saying something — and its eight tracks and 37 minutes play through with an unhurried but consistent motion, heavy but fluid thanks in no small part to the intricacy of their rhythms throughout and the apparent ease with which they tie together their verses and choruses. “Snakecharm” and “Wave High” are joined on side A by the more lumbering “Sour Grapes” and the apropos finale “The Well,” which begins at a drift and solidifies in its second half around a classic fuzz rock riff transmuted tonally and in tuning to suit the band’s purposes. In both, there is an emerging current of modern heavy influence, particularly centered around Nashville heavy psych/blues rockers All Them Witches.

It is telling that Mikey Allred at Dark Art Studio mastered Protopsycho, as the former member of Across Tundras has also worked engineering and mastering several All Them Witches albums. Something about the shimmer in the guitar on “The Well” and in “Bitter Tea,” which follows, leading off side B, speaks directly to that. There’s a blend of meditative spaciousness and creative spark that comes to bear feeling like a signature. And yet there’s no denying Arcadian Child make this their own as well, and in purposeful form as “Bitter Tea” begins with a Dying Surfer Meets His Maker-style guitar progression and unfolds with a fuzzy gracefulness and confidence born of a mature band who know what they’re doing. Again, this is Arcadian Child being aware of their choices as a group but not held back by that conscious.

Arcadian Child

“Bitter Tea” and the subsequent “Bodies of Men” are the two shortest cuts on Protopsycho at a respective 3:52 and 3:38, but the tone they set for the second half of the tracklisting isn’t to be understated, as the latter cut picks up with Dead Meadow-style roll in its brief excursion of verse and hook, letting the fuzzy tones of the two guitars lead the way as the vocals push further out in echo, bass and drums providing the solid foundation on which the quirky but structurally sound bounce takes place. The penultimate “Raising Fire” is something of a slower and more ritualized psych burn, vocals following the guitar pattern before fuller tonality kicks in as part of the call-and-response chorus’ thrust. All the while, the abiding atmosphere of “Raising Fire” is patient and built around a tempo that refuses to move at anything other than its own pace for the first four minutes of the track’s 5:35, drums signaling the shift thereafter into a more uptempo instrumental progression that carries the song to its finish.

The splashing crash cymbal deep in the mix of the title-track signals some of the tension Arcadian Child are building as the finale plays out, but though they hit a payoff sure enough, “Protopsycho” never takes off to such a degree as to feel cheap or especially predictable. Rather, it emphasizes just how much the band have been able to set a mood throughout Protopsycho and how far especially side B has worked to bring together the different sides of their sound, the varied folk and psychedelic and heavy influences, not forsaking one for the other, but creating something fresh from pieces of all of them. This is, as noted above, the work Arcadian Child has undertaken in answering the potential of Superfonica and Afterglow, finding both a niche for themselves sound-wise that listeners can hear and readily identify, but pairing that with memorable and well-composed songs.

In essence, this is what Arcadian Child have been building toward for the last three-plus years, and as such it is all the more an injustice they can’t get out and support Protopsycho live, as it represents a special moment for the band. However, what’s perhaps most comforting in terms of listening to these songs and understanding their place in Arcadian Child‘s overarching progression is that there’s still plenty of forward potential on display. How might they move the impulses driving “Snakecharm” forward next time out? Or “Bitter Tea?” Or “Raising Fire?” What shifts might they undertake to continue to bring ideas from multiple sources together under their own banner, while also still pushing themselves on the root levels of performance and craft? As much as Protopsycho manifests Arcadian Child‘s mission up to this point, and achieves what seem to be its goals, it could just as easily be another step in their ongoing evolution.

Arcadian Child, Protopsycho (2020)

Arcadian Child on Thee Facebooks

Arcadian Child on Instagram

Arcadian Child on Bandcamp

Bitter Tea Records on Thee Facebooks

Bitter Tea Records on Instagram

Bitter Tea Records on Bandcamp

Ripple Music on Thee Facebooks

Ripple Music on Bandcamp

Ripple Music website

Kozmik Artifactz on Thee Facebooks

Kozmik Artifactz website

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Finding Comfort in Live Music When There Isn’t Any

Posted in Features on August 12th, 2020 by JJ Koczan

Bands and festivals have begun to announce 2021 dates and all that, but let’s be realistic: it’s going to be years before live music is what it once was. Especially in the United States, which is the country in the world hardest hit by the ol’ firelung in no small part because of the ineptitude of its federal leadership, an entire economic system of live music — not to mention the venues, promotions and other cultural institutions that support it on all levels — needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. It isn’t going to be just as simple as “social distancing is over and we can all crowd into the bar again.” Maybe not ever.

You’ve likely seen a band do a live stream at this point, even if after the fact, and I have too. Not the same as a real-life gig, duh, but if it helps raise some funds and keeps creative people working on something and gives an act a way to connect with its audience, you can’t call it bad. I’ve found, though, that with the dearth of live music happening and the nil potential that “going to a show” will happen anytime soon, I’ve been listening to more and more live albums.

This, in no small part, is because there are plenty to listen to. Some groups attempting to bring in cash either for themselves or relevant causes have put out live records in the last few months and made use of the downtime that would’ve otherwise been given to actually being on a stage or writing together in a room or whatever it might be. It’s been a way for a band to not just sit on its collective hands and wonder what the future will bring. When so much is out of your own control, you make the most of what you’ve got.

In that spirit, here’s a quick rundown of 10 recent live outings that I’ve been digging. If you’ve found you’re in the need of finding comfort in live music and whatever act you want to see isn’t doing a stream just this second, maybe you can put one of these on, close your eyes, and be affected a bit by the on-stage energy that comes through.

Thanks as always for reading, and thanks to Tim Burke, Vania Yosifova, and Chris Pojama Pearson for adding their suggestions when I asked on social media. Here we go, ordered by date of release:

Arcadian Child, From Far, for the Wild (Live in Linz)

arcadian child from far for the wild

Released Jan. 24.

Granted, this one came out before the real impact of COVID-19 was being felt worldwide, but with the recent announcement of Arcadian Child‘s next studio album coming out this Fall, including From Far, for the Wild (Live in Linz) (discussed here) on this list seems only fair. The Cyprus-based four-piece even went so far as to include a couple new songs in the set that’ll show up on Protopsycho as well this October, so it’s a chance to get a preview of that material as well. Bonus for a bonus. Take the win.

Kadavar, Studio Live Session Vol. 1

kadavar studio live session

Released March 25.

Germany began imposing curfews in six of its states on March 22. At that point, tours were already being canceled, including Kadavar‘s European run after two shows, and the band hit Blue Wall Studio in Berlin for a set that was streamed through Facebook and in no small part helped set the pattern of streams in motion. With shows canceled in Australia/New Zealand and North America as well, Kadavar were hoping to recover some of the momentum they’d lost, and their turning it into a live record is also a part of that, as is their upcoming studio release, The Isolation Tapes.

Øresund Space Collective, Sonic Rock Solstice 2019

Øresund Space Collective Sonic Rock Solstice 2019

Released April 3.

Of course, I’m perfectly willing to grant that Sonic Rock Solstice 2019 (review here) wasn’t something Øresund Space Collective specifically put out because of the pandemic, but hell, it still exists and that enough, as far as I’m concerned. As ever, they proliferate top notch psychedelic improv, and though I’ve never seen them and it seems increasingly likely I won’t at the fest I was supposed to this year, their vitality is always infectious.

Pelican, Live at the Grog Shop

pelican Live at The Grog Shop

Released April 15.

Let’s be frank — if you don’t love Pelican‘s music to a familial degree, it’s not that I think less of you as a person, but I definitely feel bad for you in a way that, if I told you face-to-face, you won’t find almost entirely condescending. The Chicago instrumentalists are high on my list of golly-I-wish-they’d-do-a-livestream, and if you need an argument to support that, this set from Ohio should do the trick nicely. It’s from September 2019, which was just nearly a year ago. If your mind isn’t blown by their chugging progressive riffs, certainly that thought should do the trick.

SEA, Live at ONCE

sea live at once

Released June 19.

Also captured on video, this set from Boston’s SEA finds them supporting 2020’s debut album, Impermanence (review here) and pushing beyond at ONCE Ballroom in their hometown. The band’s blend of post-metallic atmosphere and spacious melody-making comes through as they alternate between lumbering riffs and more subdued ambience, and it makes a fitting complement to the record in underscoring their progressive potential. The sound is raw but I’d want nothing less.

Sumac, St Vitus 09/07/2018

sumac st vitus

Released July 3.

Issued as a benefit to Black Lives Matter Seattle and a host of other causes, among them the Philadelphia Womanist Working Collective, this Sumac set is precisely what it promises in the title — a live show from 2018 at Brooklyn’s famed Saint Vitus Bar. I wasn’t at this show, but it does make me a little wistful to think of that particular venue in the current concert-less climate. Sumac aren’t big on healing when it comes to the raw sonics, but there’s certainly enough spaciousness here to get lost in should you wish to do so.

YOB, Pickathon 2019 – Live From the Galaxy Barn

YOB Pickathon 2019 Live from the Galaxy Barn

Released July 3.

They’ve since taken down the Bandcamp stream, but YOB’s Pickathon 2019 – Live From the Galaxy Barn (review here) was released as a benefit for Navajo Nation COVID-19 relief, and is an hour-long set that paired the restlessness of “The Lie that is Sin” next to the ever-resonant “Marrow.” Of all the live records on this list, this is probably the one that’s brought me the most joy, and it also inspired the most recent episode of The Obelisk Show on Gimme Metal, which jumped headfirst into YOB‘s catalog. More YOB please. Also, if you haven’t seen the videos of Mike Scheidt playing his guitar around the house, you should probably hook into that too.

Dirty Streets, Rough and Tumble

dirty streets rough and tumble

Released July 31.

If you’re not all the way down with the realization that Justin Toland is the man when it comes to heavy soul and blues guitar, Dirty Streets‘ new live record, Rough and Tumble, will set you straight, and it won’t even take that long. With the all-killer bass and drums of Thomas Storz and Andrew Denham behind, Toland reminds of what a true virtuoso player can accomplish when put in a room with a crowd to watch. That’s an important message for any time, let alone right now. These cats always deliver.

Amenra, Mass VI Live

amenra mass vi live

Released Aug. 7

Look, I’m not gonna sit here and pretend I’m the biggest Amenra fan in the world. I’m not. Sometimes I feel like they follow too many of their own rules for their own good, but there’s no question that live they’re well served by the spectacle they create, and their atmospherics are genuinely affecting. And I know that I’m in the minority in my position, so for anyone who digs them hard, they put up this stream-turned-record wherein they play a goodly portion of 2017’s Mass VI, and even as the self-professed not-biggest-fan-in-the-world, I can appreciate their effort and the screamy-scream-crushy-crush/open-spaced ambience that ensues.

Electric Moon, Live at Freak Valley Festival 2019

Electric Moon Live at Freak Valley Festival 2019

Releasing Sept. 4.

Yeah, okay, this one’s not out yet, but sometimes I’m lucky enough to get things early for review and sometimes (on good days) those things happen to be new live records from Germany psychonauts Electric Moon. The Always-Out-There-Sula-Komets are in top form on Live at Freak Valley Festival 2019 as one would have to expect, and they’re streaming a 22-minute version of “777” now that rips so hard it sounds like it’s about to tear a hole into an alternate dimension where shows are still going on so yes please everyone go and listen to it and maybe we’ll get lucky and it’ll really happen. The magic was in you all along.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Arcadian Child to Release Protopsycho Oct. 9; Streaming “Bitter Tea”

Posted in Whathaveyou on August 3rd, 2020 by JJ Koczan

Arcadian Child

Am I the only one hearing a strong current of All Them Witches in the kind of sparse guitar line of Arcadian Child‘s new single? The track in question, “Bitter Tea,” is the first audio to come from the band’s third album Protopsycho, and its moody feel suits that progression it puts to good use. They put out the song this past weekend as a heads up, and the LP will be the four-piece’s second release in 2020 following the live album From Far, For the Wild (review here) that came out in January.

I usually try to be reasonably comprehensive in posting links to bands and labels — Thee Facebooks, Instagrams, Bandcamps, etc. — but if this post feels like it has a mega-barrage, you’re right. It does. Protopsycho is being released by Ripple Music in the US, Kozmik Artifactz in Europe and what I’d guess is the band’s own Bitter Tea Records imprint on tape. So yeah, all that makes for a lot of links.

Those, as well as the song stream, follow the album art and announcement below:

Arcadian Child Protopsycho

Arcadian Child announce new album – “Protopsycho” will be set for release on 9 October via Ripple Music and Kozmik Artifactz and share new track “Bitter Tea”. Arriving on July 31, frontman Panagiotis Georgiou describes Bitter Tea as “an honest track fighting self-doubt, pushing back our anxieties and fears. We experimented with new sounds in this one and wanted the song to progress and evolve throughout its journey. We did it and we’re happy.” Bitter Tea arrives with an accompanying artwork by Nun Other.

Arcadian Child are a mercurial psychedelic rock quartet based out of Limassol, Cyprus. Psyched, potent and intoxicating, they deliver their diverse rock melded with tripped-out ambience, hallucinogenic patterns, and cathartic outbursts. With sounds rivaling the squealing sirens of the Mediterranean up to the dark bellows of the West, Arcadian Child convey their psychedelic ritual in their jam-filled live shows where they spread their hypnotic vibrations. Boasting a heady swagger, sophisticated riffs, and purposeful lyrics their music echoes far and wide.

Their 2017 debut album “Afterglow” was widely acclaimed and received compelling support from the growing international neo-psych scene and the Limassol psych rockers signed with California-based Ripple Music in January 2018 to reissue it worldwide on vinyl. Their highly anticipated sophomore studio set was released on 23 November 2018 through Ripple Music and Rogue Wave Records and received multiple raving reviews. In October 2019, they paired up with leading underground label “Kozmik Artifactz” for a vinyl release of their third album which is to be released October 9, 2020.

Tracklisting:
1. Snakecharm
2. Wave High
3. Sour Grapes
4. The Well
5. Bitter Tea
6. Bodies of Men
7. Raising Fire
8. Protopsycho

Arcadian Child are:
Panagiotis I.G – Vocals, Guitars
Stathis Hadjicharalambous– Guitars
Andreas Kerveros – Bass, Backing Vocals
Constantinos Pavlides – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/arcadianchildband/
https://www.instagram.com/arcadianchild/
https://arcadianchildband.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/bittertearecords/
http://www.instagram.com/bittertearecords_/
https://bittertearecords.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/theripplemusic/
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/
http://www.ripple-music.com/
http://kozmik-artifactz.com/
https://www.facebook.com/kozmikartifactz

Arcadian Child, Protopsycho (2020)

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Arcadian Child Premiere “Snake Charm” from New Live Album From Far, for the Wild out Tomorrow

Posted in audiObelisk, Whathaveyou on January 23rd, 2020 by JJ Koczan

arcadian child

Last Fall, Cypriot heavy psychedelic rockers Arcadian Child undertook a round of European touring in support of their second album, Superfonica (review here), which came out late in 2018 through Ripple imprint Rogue Wave Records. That tour found them hitting the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland as well as Germany and Austria, playing songs from the latest record as well as heralding new material. Doing the thing, in other words. Being a band.

Tomorrow, Arcadian Child will issue From Far, for the Wild as a name-your-price download.arcadian child from far for the wild It is a live album recorded at a place called Schlot in Linz, Austria, on the third show of their run. It’s a relatively quick set at 38 minutes — let’s assume it was a 45-minute slot and has been edited down a bit — and for those of us who didn’t get to see the tour, it’s a chance to hear the four-piece bring their progressive psychedelic textures to life on stage. Not only does it serve as a thanks to their burgeoning fanbase, but its underlying duty is showcasing the fact that Arcadian Child bring it live, which, yeah, they do. It’s not necessarily surprising that the live record is energetic — third night of a tour, they’re getting in the groove of the thing, not bogged down yet by monotony, but over first and/or second night brambles and starting to really lock in — but it also highlights the folkish and grunge undertones of a song like “Irresistible,” as well as the emergent roll and funky turns, respectively, made by new songs “Raising Fire” and “Snake Charm.”

The full offering is eight tracks, so those who caught wind of Superfonica or the prior 2017 debut, Afterglow (review here), will find both represented here along with the new tracks, the latter of which it just so happens is premiering on the player below. Both “Snake Charm” and “Raising Fire” are longer in form than the bulk of the release’s inclusions, so along with the hints of what’s coming next from Arcadian Child, perhaps a willingness to let their material flesh out further should be considered as well. Guess we’ll see when we get there.

Till then, please enjoy:

Arcadian Child release “From Far, for the Wild”, a live album recorded at Schlot in Linz during their European tour in November 2019, which they are giving away for free (name your price in Bandcamp) as a thank you to their loyal fans.

“We are stoked to announce our spring tour in April 2020. We’ll be strolling through UK, France, Belgium and Netherlands. Give us a shout if you want us to pass through your town! Bookings: A map constellation. at a.mapconstellation@gmail.com

Including “Snake Charm” and “Raising Fire”, two unreleased tracks which they’ll be part of their new album, “From far, for the Wild” showcases the band’s sonic continuum as a singular electric wave that resonates far and wide.

Recorded live by Armin Lehner at Schlot in Linz, Austria on 8 November 2019
Artwork by Julia Schimautz

Tracklist
1. Painting
2. Irresistible
3. She’s on my mind
4. She Flows
5. Raising Fire (new song)
6. Snake Charm (new song)
7. The March
8. Used

Arcadian Child on Thee Facebooks

Arcadian Child on Bandcamp

Arcadian Child on Spotify

Tags: , , , ,

Arcadian Child Announce Nov. Tour Dates

Posted in Whathaveyou on October 9th, 2019 by JJ Koczan

arcadian child

Do I think that everybody reading this is going to be able to catch Cyprus-based heavy psych rockers Arcadian Child as they head out on a week-plus of European tour dates next month in support of their second album, Superfonica (review here)? No. No, I don’t. And I know I’m right about that, because I’m reading this as I write it — one likes to czech spelling — and I won’t be able to see them, but posting the tour dates allows me not only to have the info later if I need it, which believe it or not I might, but also to post the stream of the album again, because one or two other people who see this might dig into that at the bottom of this post and find it cool enough to warrant further investigation. Either way, even though I — and you, if the same applies — won’t make it out, it’s a win.

The run is nine shows — including two in the Check Republic! — starting on Nov. 6 in Hungary and heading from there into Austria and Poland with a few inevitable stops in Germany for good measure. Gotta go to Germany. It’s like where tours happen in Europe these days.

So here’s a tour happening these days:

arcadian child tour banner

Arcadian Child – European Fall Tourné

We are sailing from the warm shores of Cyprus to raise fire in the urban maze of central Europe. Setting foot in Budapest, we march on to Austria, Czech Republic, Poland and Germany to initiate people across Europe to our psychedelic rituals. From far, for the wild.

#RaisingFire

06.11 • Három Holló / Drei Raben, Budapest HU
07.11 • Kramladen Vienna AT
08.11 • Schlot, Linz AT
09.11 • Soulstone Gathering, Krakow PL
10.11 • Club Vagon, Prague CZ
11.11 • Fuzzy Room, Auerbach DE
12.11 • MOSKVA BÍLINA, Bílina CZ
13.11 • Dots, Göttingen DE
14.11 • TIEF Berlin DE

Powered by A map constellation.
Art direction by Bewild Brother

Psyched, potent and intoxicating, Arcadian Child deliver resonating psychedelia blended with ambience, hallucinogenic patterns and cathartic eruptions. With sounds rivaling the squealing sirens of the Mediterranean up to the dark bellows of the West, Arcadian Child convey their psychedelic ritual in their jam-filled live shows where they spread their hypnotic vibrations. Their sophomore studio set “Superfonica” was released in November 2018 through Ripple Music reaching multiple year-end lists.

https://www.facebook.com/arcadianchildband/
https://arcadianchildband.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Roguewaverecords/
http://roguewaverecords.bigcartel.com/

Arcadian Child, Superfonica (2018)

Tags: , , , , , ,

Arcadian Child Post “The March” Video

Posted in Bootleg Theater on February 27th, 2019 by JJ Koczan

arcadian child

Burgess Meredith, an actor known for his work in everything from the 1960s Batman show and The Twilight Zone to Rocky, only apparently ever directed one feature film on his own and it was the 1978 B-movie The Yin and Yang of Mr. Go. Needless to say, I’ve never seen it — and you probably haven’t either — but some footage from it appears in the new Arcadian Child video for “The March” from their late-2018 offering, Superfonica (review here), and at very least it does well there in helping set a mood. And mood is pretty crucial when it comes the Cyprus-based heavy psych rockers and their second full-length on Ripple-offshoot Rogue Wave Records, as the band conjures an overarching fluidity in their approach that draws songs together even as those like “The March” itself stand out with languid and engaging hooks.

Most records, I’m sad to say, get shelved once I review them, either figuratively or literally. I don’t listen to them again. No time. Tomorrow is another review (or two) and there’s just too much to go back, even to albums I dig. Superfonica came out on Nov. 23, at a time when most reviewer-types are either looking back on the year that was or looking ahead to the year that will be. Even so, Arcadian Child‘s work has continued to stand out, and I’ve got back to it more than a few times over the last couple months, even despite the ever-present onslaught of other offerings to be considered. It’s become one of those albums I reach for, and the wash that the band craft across its span makes it certainly welcome whenever I get the chance to put it on again. Which, incidentally now, and sure enough, the record’s holding up.

Enjoy “The March” below, then feel free to hit play on the Bandcamp embed at the bottom of the post with the whole record on it, because really, even if you know the record, I don’t think you’re going to regret spending the time.

Here’s to Burgess Meredith:

Arcadian Child, “The March” official video

From sophomore album “Superfonica,, Get it: https://arcadianchildband.bandcamp.com/
Out via Ripple Music and Rogue Wave Records

Produced by Andreas Trachonitis and Arcadian Child
Recorded and Mixed by Andreas Trachonitis
at studio eleven63 in Nicosia
Additional recordings by Mikaela Tsangari
Mastered by Yiannis Christodoulatos at sweetspot productions in Athens

Video edited by Iam Nothe
https://www.facebook.com/IamNotheMMXI/
Features scenes from “The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go”, a film by Burgess Meredith (1978), “Messiah of Evil”, a film by Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz (1973) and various educational films.

Music by Arcadian Child
Lyrics by Panagiotis I.G

Arcadian Child, Superfonica (2018)

Arcadian Child on Thee Facebooks

Arcadian Child on Bandcamp

Arcadian Child on Spotify

Rogue Wave Records on Thee Facebooks

Rogue Wave Records BigCartel store

Ripple Music website

Ripple Music on Thee Facebooks

Tags: , , , , , ,

Review & Track Premiere: Arcadian Child, Superfonica

Posted in audiObelisk, Reviews on November 16th, 2018 by JJ Koczan

arcadian child superfonica

[Click play above to stream the official premiere of ‘Bain Marie’ from Arcadian Child’s Superfonica. Album is out Nov. 23 on Rogue Wave/Ripple Music.]

The sense of drift is so graceful and the flow of the material is so natural that, in listening to Arcadian Child‘s Superfonica, I actually went and looked up the climate of Cyprus. Eight months of temperate summer on an island in the Eastern Mediterranean could hardly be a more fitting backdrop for the eight-track/38-minute offering — the band’s first new release for Rogue Wave Records/Ripple Music following a reissue of their 2017 debut, Afterglow (review here), earlier this year — which hones a peaceful spirit in songs like “Brothers” and the opening fuzz of “Bain Marie” while still retaining tonal presence and a sense of energy in the delivery. Leaving behind some of the Queens of the Stone Agery of their initial outing, the first-name-basis four-piece of Panagiotis, Andreas, Stathis and Christos find themselves nestled comfortably into a balance between spacey grunge rock and psychedelic impulses.

“She Flows” comes alive with a warm-toned push in its back half, but that’s not to say there’s stillness earlier in the song, or necessarily anywhere else on Superfonica that it’s not intended to be, as the Limassol-based outfit inject life even into their most minimalist spaces, as in the wide-open effects reaches of the penultimate “Before We Die” or the subdued, patient unfolding of closer “The March,” that follows, or even the midsection of the otherwise bouncing “Constellations” — arguably the most active piece on the record — which finds soft vocals half-whispering over like-minded guitar for a stretch that soon picks up again with a cue from the snare drum. The band cites The Black Angels as an influence and I’m not inclined to argue, as they seem to skirt the line between Dead Meadow-style shoegaze and ’90s alternative shove. Yet there’s a heavy rock root in their approach as well, and in a hidden treasure like “She Flows” on side B, which follows the 6:44 “Painting” (premiered here), they’re able to enact a heavier roll as they hold consistent with the mood of the album overall.

This is thanks in no small part to the vocals, which bring a steady humanity to what might otherwise be perceived as an otherworldly listen, but if one is mining Superfonica for highlights, it’s a relatively quick operation. The first three seconds of “Bain Marie” — and I suspect that’s how it got to open the record — tell the tale of one of the record’s greatest assets, and that’s the fuzz tone of the guitars. Arcadian Child prove adept at complementing the warm, inviting fuzz with airier, post-rock-style effects, and the vocals suit that well too, but while they don’t use riffs as an okay-we-have-a-riff-so-that’s-a-track-done kind of crutch in their songwriting, when they lock in around one, as on “Bain Marie” or the subsequent, relatively uptempo and hooky “Twist Your Spirit,” the bulk of “Constellations” or “She Flows,” the results are nothing but enticing. Again, though, that’s just one aspect of Arcadian Child‘s style, and the post-midpoint guitar meander of “Brothers” would have Gary Arce himself blushing, while the crash cymbal in “The March” is as much a highlight in its creation of a wash as anything done elsewhere by bass or guitar.

arcadian child

It’s a rare level of attention to sonic detail that makes Superfonica so ultimately effective. Their craft itself — the raw songwriting — is there as a foundation. And it’s absolutely necessary, since without it the more rocking side A salvo of “Bain Marie,” “Twist Your Spirit” and “Brothers” would fall flat en route to the expansion that takes place in “Constellations” as a preface to the more patient psychedelia that “Painting” unfurls at the outset of side B with “She Flows” as a quick touch to ground ahead of the stratospheric departure that is the capper duo “Before We Die” and “The March.” But the production, the arrangement of the tracklisting, and the vibe within the individual cuts themselves all work to feed into the central presentation of Superfonica as a cohesive entirety. It’s not just about this or that track, this or that chorus, this or that jam — but instead what these things can do in conversation with each other.

And I won’t take away either from what “Bain Marie” or “Brothers” or even “She Flows” does in terms of establishing a subtle underlying momentum to carry the audience through the material as a whole, but “Painting” and “The March” make a distinct impression as accomplishments of another degree. The former is the longest inclusion and an immediate high point in terms of its serene, oceanic motion to its apex, and it’s hypnotic enough to warrant multiple visits, but still finds itself on solid footing by its end, while “The March” is indeed something of a percussive showcase and in that it creates a tension that’s something of a standout from the rest of Superfonica, showing a restlessness that comes to a fervent head before it’s done and seems to speak to further exploration to follow on the part of the band as a whole. More power to it in that — forward potential is always welcome — but neither is the impact of “The March” on the record that precedes it to be overlooked. Like “Bain Marie” at the launch, it feels purposefully positioned as the finale, and it works no less efficiently to resonate the band’s intention for it.

Outwardly gorgeous, strident in its construction and with enough cast of adventure in sound that it not only takes a significant step from their debut but leads one to believe further such steps are to come on this path, Superfonica is the kind of record that speaks to the soul. It’s not a get-up-and-party, booze-your-face whatever record. It’s a good time, to be sure, but its motion is more wistful and quieter than it is brash, however active some parts might be, and the prevailing engagement is owed to Arcadian Child‘s ability to affect the mindset of their audience and so righteously convey the calmness that in no small part defines this material. Its details are there for those who want to hear them or are willing to go deeper, but even if you just put it on and find yourself following its easy, eight-month-summer fluidity, I don’t think you miss out. Not hearing it would be missing out.

Arcadian Child on Thee Facebooks

Arcadian Child on Bandcamp

Arcadian Child on Spotify

Rogue Wave Records on Thee Facebooks

Rogue Wave Records BigCartel store

Ripple Music website

Ripple Music on Thee Facebooks

Tags: , , , , , ,

Arcadian Child Set Nov. 23 Release for Superfonica

Posted in Whathaveyou on October 26th, 2018 by JJ Koczan

arcadian child

You might recall Cypriot psychedelic rockers Arcadian Child premiered ‘Painting’ in a visualizer here over the summer. Details at the time were pretty scarce for the follow-up to 2017’s Afterglow (review here), but a Nov. 23 release date has been set through Ripple Music offshoot Rougue Wave Records, and preorders are up now. I’m not saying I’ve heard it and it’s awesome or anything, but I’ve heard it and it’s awesome, so okay, yes, that is what I’m saying. You win this round.

Since I’d really like to drive that point home — the part about “awesome,” not about the part where you win, though you have my congratulations — “Painting” and the video for “She Flows” are both at the bottom of this post. The PR wire sent the artwork and track details for Superfonica accordingly:

arcadian child superfonica

Arcadian Child to Release New LP, ‘Superfonica’, November 23

Fast-Rising Neo-Psych Group Blends and Bends Genres to Create Singular Sound of its Own; New Songs “Painting” and “She Flows” Premiere

Greek neo-psych band Arcadian Child will release its new LP, Superfonica, on November 23 via Ripple Music / Rogue Wave Records. Hailing from Limassol, Cyprus, Arcadian Child formed in 2013 and soon made a name for itself via a cool and coherent sound that combines hypnotic psychedelia, stoner rock riffage, and indie rock groove. Potent and intoxicating, Arcadian Child delivers guitar-orientated psych rock blended with ambient elements, hallucinogenic patterns and kaleidoscopic, headphone-friendly swirl.

To advance the release of Superfonica, Arcadian Child has released the new singles, “Painting” and “She Flows”. “Painting” is released via a cool visualizer video and “She Flows” makes its debut via music video. Arcadian Child’s unapologetic references to music of earlier eras infused forge a transcendent maze of heady resonance and drones.

Superfonica is the follow-up to Arcadian Child’s celebrated 2017 debut, Afterglow, a record that immediately established the unit as a buzzworthy band to watch.

Arcadian Child’s beautiful songs lure you slowly and smoothly into a sort of soothing numbness; the group’s use of 60s/70s pop style progressive theatrics call up a web of guitars, keyboards, and drums that thunder and ooze at the same time, and the melodies walk steadily more than they lurch. Arcadian Child are masters at sounding simultaneously cool as a block of ice and hot as hellfire, but the unshakeable pop melodies are the real key to this album’s success.

Track listing:

1.) Bain Marie
2.) Twist Your Spirit
3.) Brothers
4.) Constellations
5.) Painting
6.) She Flows
7.) Before We Die
8.) The March

Pre-order Superfonica at this location.

https://www.facebook.com/arcadianchildband/
https://arcadianchildband.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Roguewaverecords/
http://roguewaverecords.bigcartel.com/

Arcadian Child, “Painting” official video

Arcadian Child, “She Flows” official video

Tags: , , , , , ,