Wilderness of Mirrors by The Black Angels
4/5 stars

Heavy vibes. Floaty. Cinematic. Committed.

So, where to start with Wilderness of Mirrors by The Black Angels?

Psychedelic is a misused term for anything these days that’s dared to venture away from the four square walls of the pop format. And whilst trying to describe the unlimited mind-bending creative freedoms that are truly psychedelic, the term has somehow done the exact opposite and become a genre.

To put The Black Angels firmly in that genre however, would be to do them an injustice; the reason being that although they are ticking all the ‘psych’ genre boxes, they’re doing much more, and you get a real sense that they mean it.

Opening track ‘Without a Trace’ is pure cinema. One of those moods you can hit play and watch your own moves vicariously through the lenses of your own eyes. Like a soundtrack to a film that doesn’t exist. A heavy, burning caravan of a track.

And through ‘History of the Future’ and ‘Empires Falling’ they manage to strike that fine balance between turn on, tune in, drop out hypnosis of ‘psych’ but without getting lost in monotony for monotonies’ sake. You get a sense that they do have a plan. A richness that prevents it ever getting boring.

Then El Jardín, pierces the darkness of the record for the first time with some light, still haunting, but light none the less and a welcome contrast.

La Pared (Govt.Wall Blues), a song of unity in the face of the divide and conquer tactics of governments everywhere, is somehow romantic in its defiance. And again expands the sounds of the record, with what sounds like bag pipes blending perfectly into the throbbing vintage tremolo of the guitars and slowly marching drums.

This record opens up to you as you run through it and keeps offering new avenues. And, whilst I’d put it close to artists like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club for want of a lazy description, it’s absolutely not a pale comparison. Sure there’s 60’s guitars and carny melodies that will forever be owned by forebears, I’m not going to mention those four lads from Liverpool. Despite the nods, there’s enough of The Black Angels in here to not really need the retro reference points.

There’s no obvious single on this record and there shouldn’t be.

There are carefully balanced textures, just the right amount of guitar hooks and meaningful lyrics to make it stand up and that’s where the commitment comes in; it’s well thought-out and deliberate.

If you’re like me and you’re already tired of EVERYTHING… then you’ll hear no new noise here. But you will get a beautifully crafted, fluttering slab of sincere, rich, immersive and meaningful ‘psych’. Better than the pack, for sure.

Scott James Massey
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