Sunday 4 February 2024

Psyrup - El Conejo (Album Review)

Release Date: 01st February 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD/Vinyl

El Conejo - Tracklisting

1.Time Traveler 07:22

2.Ball of Energy 11:08

3.The Rabbit 02:14

4.The Ghostship Lantern 04:25

5.The Motheroot 05:37

6.Interstellar Freedom & The Wayward Homunculus 10:21


Members


Ryan Tocchini - guitars, keys, voices

Elijah Tocchini - drums and percussion

Shaun Notdurft - guitar

Joe Pettit Jr. - bass


Review


Psychedelic/Space/Stoner Rockers Psyrup return with their new album El Conejo. The album has quite a dramatic science fiction feel with Psyrup focusing upon playing a more “Out There” style of Psychedelic Journey with moments of Hard Rock, Doom and Prog Rock sounds. Psyrup adds warped sound effects to their music with the band influenced by bands such as Deep Purple, Hawkwind, Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath whilst keeping everything stuck in a permanent 1970’s sounding time loop within the whole time frame of the album.


El Conejo has a fractured story line where things don’t make sense with the band adding multiple narratives which comes into play early on within the excellent two opening tracks of Time Traveller and Ball Of Energy. Lead vocalist Ryan has a very cool way of delivering heavy digitised vocals and having an out of world feeling which allows Psyrup playing classic style of KrautRock and Space Rock for a more dramatic flow. The sound could be considered Classic Rock with it’s outbursts of “Retro” sounds that soon manifest into more Doom and Blues Rock based pastures which once again allows the album to be very hard to categorise at times.


Third Track The Rabbit has a more laid-back Funk Driven score with some trippy soulful blues sounds which has a certain 60’s/70’s “kitsch” energy to it which showcases another cool style for Psyrup to entice and impress listeners with.


Fourth track The Ghostship Lantern goes full on Pink Floyd with it’s Psychedelic tendencies and it’s groovy off-kilter Poppy vocals and lyrics still evolving into a more classic style of Doom Rock with a loving nod to The Beatles in places. The Electronic beats offer a more sinister sound on the later stages of the track. 


The final two tracks The Motheroot and Interstellar Freedom & The Wayward Homunculus are best described as 1970’s Hard Rock/Doom/Blues Rock flair. This part of the album is where Psyrup operates with a more dynamically powerful Funk Rock/Jam Rock swagger which contains some of the album's standout instrumental grooves.


El Conejo is not your standard Psychedelic Stoner Rock record with Psyrup always thinking outside of the box and taking the listener on a wild exuberant ride which moves across the boundaries of Classic Hard Rock. The end result is a highly satisfying record that’s boosted by superb production values throughout which allows Psyrup to deliver a quality sounding album which will impress you with its delicious trippy sounds.


Words by Steve Howe 


Links


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