Back catalogue: Psych/Garage Rock

Review: Indonesia-based Babon was founded in 2023 by longtime friends Wahyudi T. Raupp and Rayi Raditia and craft instrumentals addressing environmental issues. Their sound fuses Melbourne's vibrant music energy with dangdut rhythms, gamelan percussion, and melodic keroncong folk styles. Here they debut on Batov Records with the wonderful 'Tropical Desert Music' which blends Indonesian traditions with Afro-Latin funk, Morricone-inspired grooves, Bollywood breaks and blues. It's the sort of sound that is perfect for fans of Khruangbin or Sababa 5. The A-side 'Desert Rose' is a spaghetti blues anthem, while the flip 'TNT' tells a miner's tragic tale through cinematic, explosive instrumentation.

Review: Bamma Gamma returns with a sizzling slab of funk in the form of 'Omelette' via Detroit's renowned Funk Night Records. This one is a digger's dream, raw, gritty instrumental funk with break-heavy drums, tight guitar licks and basslines so greasy they practically drip off the record. True to Funk Night's underground sound, Omelette is unapologetically retro and authentic and serves up irresistible dancefloor heat that feels like a lost '70s cut that has been newly rediscovered. For DJs looking to inject some analogue soul into their sets, it's a no-brainer.

Review: Turkey has always had a fascinating funk scene and Beybonlar has been at the heart of its contemoorary scene. HIs 2019 album Gelin Aysem on Arsivplak is a gold standard from the genre and one of its key singles gets serve dup on its own 7" with a special insert. The title track 'Gelin Aysem' opens up with psyched out guitars, plenty of lo-fi drums and wailing Turkish vocals that bring the exotic flavours. On the flip, 'Nenni' is a little harder and darker in its mood and groove.

Review: The latest addition to Echo Edits keeps the funk coming courtesy of Break Character who delivers two powerful tracks that are indicative of his unique approach, names to enhance each edit with extra layers of FX and beats. 'Cosmic Freaks' takes a 60s go-go rock groove and infuses it with Moog and Space Echo effects while paying homage to the psychedelic club sounds of Pierre Henry and JJ Perrey. 'Cherie Boca' then transports you in an instant to the funky samba rhythms of 70s Brazil with an extended edit and added beats to guide dancers from the favela to the beach. Two distinct styles, perfect for different vibes.

Review: The 60s Liverpudlian rock quartet are famed for their song '6 Day War', which has been sampled from the likes of DJ Shadow in Tokyo Drift and Pusha T on his album released earlier this year. This track is undoubtedly a classic, written in the aftermath of the ongoing Arab-Israeli war of 1967, '6 Day War' is one of the best anti-war tracks of all time. The slow jam-rock ballad comes from the band's album 'Oh What a Lovely War!' released in 1973 which has not been released in Britain until now, making this a landmark pressing. The record is a psychedelic soft-progressive rock LP with emphasis on heavy guitars like in 'Lay it Down' and even pulls from folk rock in 'Dirty Delilha Blues'. Colonel Bagshot were almost criminally overlooked, though their music seems to consistently stand the test of time and it's easy to hear why. The sound is quintessential Liverpool rock, even down to the naming conventions being evocative of The Beatles.

Review: Bailey's Nervous Kats was a teenage dream who combined surf, rock n' roll, exotica, and r&b in their music. They operated in the rural fringes of Northern California in the 1960s and released only one long player, sadly. The Nervous Kats is it and it now gets reissued by the quality Numero Group. It came right at the end of the band's time together and was released by the Emma imprint in 1965. It's a real doozy of the era and will take you to a time and place you didn't live but make you wish you had.

Review: Barbican Estate's latest release blends psychedelic rock with atmospheric folk influences. 'Reconquista' sets the tone with swirling melodies, while 'Abandon' offers a haunting, introspective vibe. 'Angel' brings a dreamlike quality, and 'The Innocent One' closes with intricate composition, showcasing the band's sonic exploration. This 2xLP captures their unique style and provides a captivating listen for fans of experimental rock.

Review: Ghost Box present the CD edition of their latest record by freakish scene-dazzlers Beautify Junkyards, Nova. Despite the record's immediate imagism bringing together news clipping collage, and connotations of scrapheaps and salvaging indicated by the band's name, the sound of the record is anything but adjacent to these themes. The six-piece psychedelia/acid folk band command a wide foundry of instruments, smoothening any rough edge into a shared, sonically doughy dream, beautifying a well-sifted haul of believably, formerly scrapped instruments into a pristine assemblage. Though it builds on motifs heard in 60s and 70s film soundtracks, echoing spaghetti Westerns and early sci-fi, the record's best moments are its seemingly impossible electronica syntheses, such as the unassailed critical mass of trickling drum machine, spring reverb, tonal murmur and near-atonal noise reached on 'Raridade De Contrastes'.

Review: Sunshine Hit Me is the debut album from the British band The Bees. A testament to summery jovialty and DIY ingenuity, the album is as raw and earthen as it is soulful, with the band at the time only made up of founding members Paul Butler and Aaron Fletcher, who wrote, performed and recorded the album alone using a home studio in Butler's parents' garden on the Isle Of Wight. Don't be confused by the LP's normative categorisation as "indie rock"; deft listeners can hear everything from reggae to neo-soul in this one, flaunting the pair's impressive musical education going into its making.

Review: Following their triumphant 50th Anniversary celebration, Blue Oyster Cult is set to release 50th Anniversary Live - Second Night on CD and DVD. This highly anticipated performance features the band's second album, Tyranny and Mutation, performed in its entirety. Recorded during their historic three-night run at Sony Hall in NYC, the show in September 2022 captivated fans with a trilogy of sold-out performances, each dedicated to one of their first three albums. Founding member Albert Bouchard made special appearances, adding nostalgia to the event. For nearly three hours each night, the band delivered a mesmerising set, performing their classic trilogy and treating fans to a mix of favorites, deep cuts, and hits. The atmosphere was electrifying, and the Frontiers label captured the magic, releasing each night as a special package. Blue Oyster Cult's legacy spans five decades, influencing acts like Metallica with their intelligent hard rock. With a timeless catalogue including '(Don't Fear) The Reaper,' the band remains a force in the rock scene, continuing to create vibrant work and tour relentlessly.

Review: Rome label Maledetta Discoteca Records encouraged a bunch of talented local musicians to get together and play live, embrace spontaneity and do their improvised best. What results is this new record, which is funk at its core, but which is coloured by so much more around the edges. Recorded in the historic Auditorium 900 studios with sound engineer Fabrizio Piccolo, the record takes in everything from 70s instrumentals to progressive funk, Hispanic rock and more with all manner of wah wah guitars, synths and organ bringing each groove to life in tiles fashion.