Heavy grooves buried beneath thoughtful song writing. Something wicked this way comes indeed with the release of Turtle Skull’s debut, self titled album. The Australian psych-rock group has emerged from their studio hibernation holding high above their heads a record which is a worthy offering to the gods of Flower Doom.
Though they don’t shy away from revealing their influences, which includes the greats of the moment including Black Mountain, Sleep and King Gizzard, Turtle Skull have succeeded in bring their own flavour into the mix. Combining lush soundscapes with heavy layering and peppered throughout with lyrics inspired by the counter-culture, Turtle Skull have demonstrated considerable handle on the intricacies of an incredibly nuanced genre.
“It’s about layers and textures – closing your eyes and seeing how deep you can go, really getting in touch with each individual sound and movement,” explains guitarist/vocalist Dean McLeod on the band’s writing process. “You can say so much with just one note or sound if you focus on the texture of it, the way it warbles, vibrates and oscillates. Ultimately it’s about mind expansion through music – I want to facilitate a moving experience for the listener and the audience.”
The band lulled us into the record by offering us the first single ‘Eden’ earlier in the piece. The track was a cyclone of sensibilities, meandering between low and lazy, to shimmering riffage, to big, solid meaty hooks. Eden’s brothers and sisters on the record are equally as eclectic and engaging, as they build to a climactic finish of blissed-out, buzzing soundscapes.
Ahead of its schedule Friday, 17th May release, you can give the record a spin below via an exclusive album stream.
