2 – Olimpia Splendid

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Another recent Bandcamp find: rollicking, undulating psychedelia (think The Necks meets Jack White by way of Tanya Tagaq – though my description barely scratches the surface). Just hit play and read their own words:

“This is Olimpia Splendid and this sound is solstice air, sharp wire on moss-dampened drumbeat, wood fire throwing shadows on all the warehouse walls. It is a whisper from the back of the throat, a chorus in the fog, a growl feeding back in triplicate.

To hear it better, ride your bike or take the bus to the second-to-last stop on the line; exit and follow the path away from the paved road and into the Finnish forest of silver birch and rowan for 500 meters until you come to the large granite outcropping – the one with a faded spray paint tag, speckled with fluorescent lichen in the shape of an old cat’s sly grin. The cave entrance is behind the slab – although you’ll surely feel it before you see it – and once you let yourself dematerialize into that long swirl of blue mist, you’ll see three figures slowly taking shape before you, like witches circling around a cauldron.

Have a feeling this – and all of their releases – will be on heavy rotation for awhile.

I/O – Peter Gabriel

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Gabriel’s first album in 20 years (since the personally creative direction-altering UP) is a masterwork, replete with amazing, unsettling cover art. Not sure I can add much more to that other than I’m considering buying that huge vinyl set that won’t be here until who knows when because it’s that good. One of the year’s best.