PSYCHIC ILLS

ONE TRACK MIND (Sacred Bones)

11/20

If you haven’t heard Psychic Ills, their name provides an accurate indication of the sound they conjure up. Sure enough, One Track Mind is an album full of sludgy guitar overdrive, sneering, lazy vocals and illuminating drones which swell in a hypnotic and kaleidoscopic manner. The opening track One More Time offers a groove you can ride to, while the eerie See You There feels like a dizzy, tripped-out endorphin rush. While Tried to Find It provides a soothing plateau at the centre of the album if you’re prepared to seep into the void, for the most part, the songs here are predictable and there’s barely a change of pace or velocity throughout the majority of the record. The album plods along, unperturbed to leave too much of a mark on the listener. In spite of some often warming chord sequences, colourful effects, and vocals that occasionally have enough slur to command a hook, this record ultimately fails to weave its way into your memory.

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Words: James Balmont