UK psychedelic quartet Otherish have just unveiled their self titled debut record, a promising full length that delivers rich instrumentation and a modern spin on psych music. This eccentric effort comes ahead of their vinyl exclusive EP A New Space Transmission from January of this year. Backing the gorgeous lead single "Pyramids of Tir Chonaill," Otherish delivers a bright sampling of diverse, charismatic indie rock. Each intricate instrumental layer and quirky stylistic flair is calculated on the debut record, one that doesn't waste a second of your time. With a song for every mood imaginable and a moment to shine for every instrument, the band is the true sum of its parts here.
With 13 tracks and clocking in a little over fifty minutes, Otherish is a dense yet steadfast project. The dystopian journey is surely not for the faint of heart, but the listen flies by due to the sonic diversity of the tracklist and dynamic approach to song structure. The band truly deliver a roller coaster of psychedelia here, with many highlights and few lulls. The opening effort "Uladh's Dying" is a staggering melancholic cloud that belongs in a haunted house. Later on comes "Ghosts," a cerebral slow burn that grows and swells like a trek down a winding road. With "For Everyone" and "The Morning Sun," we see the more uplifting and dreamy side that Otherish can take on, showcasing warmer instrumentals and more sentimental vocal performances. Meanwhile, tracks like "Catch a Grip" and "Penguins" show that the quartet know how to rock out too. Here Otherish deliver an almost stadium rock energy, as they can expand their sound to feel larger than life.
Overall the performances on Otherish are both technically impressive and sonically versatile, delivering a listen that breezes by, keeping the audience guessing. This trip down the tracklist truly is a journey, one with peaks, valleys, nooks and crannies. It's as immersive and spellbinding as great psychedelic music should be while being as charming and serendipitous as great indie should be. It's an experience unique to Otherish and Otherish alone, a pure delight. You can find a physical copy of the self titled debut record here.
