This is the second release from Montreal’s Rishi Dhir and has band of psych rockin’ pals. Rishi has been making a name for himself thanks to his talent on the sitar, touring with some pretty sick bands like Brian Jonestown Massacre. I’ll admit it, I’m a little surprised by the amount of hype surrounding this album. It’s got some solid jams and pretty impressive musicianship, specifically by Rishi himself, but it’s not astounding. I like my psych rock with a side of reverb and an extra helping of fuzz, and there could have been more of both for the majority of the record. The vocals are clear and poppy. The instrumentation is deliberate and precise. It feels clean. I don’t like clean.
Ruban Nielson and his gang have returned with the appropriately titled sophomore album II. Have no fear, UMO has come back with its spaciously psychedelic, broken-down groove intact. II is mature, slowing some stuff down to blend more R&B with their hazy pop/rock of before. Nielson's unique vocals, some truly psychedelic instrumentation, and a few trippy filters makes II sound like something that might have been made about 45 years ago rather than today. These are all quality tracks, so play them.
Indians is Scandinavian solo boy Søren Løkke Juul's thing. Performing with the likes of Beirut, Bear In Heaven, Dan Deacon, and Lower Dens, Juul's music is cosmically spacious, an electronic haze of folksy and cool. Juul's tranquil vocals and intimate lyrics keeps Somewhere Else headphone music, but in the best way.
