The Breakdown
psykhi’s unique blend of bedroom-pop, post-punk, indie and mild psychedelia shines on the new EP Forest People.
Opening with the swelling organs, punching bass, Crunchy guitar, tom heavy boxy drums and the soft breathy-vocals of ‘Dyed in Wool’, psykhi quickly introduced his unique sound, a melting pot of 70’s rock, indie-pop tendencies and drunchy punky production, an instantly inventive highlight from the EP. Nostalgic, breezy, pleasingly lo-fi and excellently put together, the track shines brightest in it’s infectiously catchy chorus, a brilliant contrast to the intoxicating, atmospherics of the verse.
Elsewhere across the 5 track ‘Don’t Disappear offers a blend of alt-rock, urban influences and trap with distorted guitars, a driving head-banging energy and auto-tuned lead vocals. ‘Dry’ offers a Jamie T aesthetic with understated acoustic guitar mixed with garage-rock, boxy, lo-fi production and a yearning, emotive lead vocal.
The EP’s title track is another highlight, a sonic pallet like grunge-rock-pop or radiohead-esque 90’s alt-rock. The silky, drifting, melancholic lead vocals glide over a multifaceted backdrop of boxy beats and modulation drenched acoustic guitars before bursting in with heavily distorted guitar line in the chorus, giving a sense of drive under the still understated and atmospheric lead vocal.
Ending on the bedroom-pop bop ‘Sitting on Ice’, psykhi closes out the EP with another fine, etherial, genre-bending soundscape offering catchy melodies and beautiful alternative vibes.
A wonderful EP with warming lo-fi, punky production, excellent musical ideas, catchy melodies and a beautiful aura of atmospheric breezy bliss, Forest People is as brilliant effort from an artist with a lot of promise.
Listen below:
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