We will have to agree with Tom Herman Jr (aka Chitinous Mandible) on this this matter. Psychedelic substances can produce noticeable impacts on the perception of music. However, a complete and immersive musical experience can still be achieved without their use, particularly when the music itself feels so trippy and surreal. Read our discussion with the artist below!
Describe your sound in 3 words
Enveloping surrealistic familiarity
Your sound has a sweet, warm, raw energy in it. Can you tell us a few things about your creative process?
There’s not too much planning ahead of recording. I used a simple set up and used one mic. For this album I recorded the drums first without knowing how those takes would end up in a song. My dad recorded some really great sounding drum tracks for this one too. I wanted to include him on this album since I grew up around music and wanted to celebrate that. I built on some of those takes by recording bass/guitar/keys on top then last came the vocals. I had an excessive amount of lyrics that I whittled down to fit how I think the vocal melodies should sound.
Covered Bridge lacks clarity. Can you talk a bit about your artistic decision to keep it lofi?
It wasn’t so much an artistic decision as more of just using what I had available. For one song “Everlasting Love” I used tape and mixed it on top of the digital recording. It wasn’t so much an attempt to be lofi but to add a layer to that song that I felt was missing.
Which band drives the neo psychedelia sound today?
I’d say John Dwyer’s different projects are a big influence for bands who might be under the umbrella of neopsychedelia.
Aliens from a far away galaxy visit us tomorrow and want to learn what psychedelia is. What makes a song psychedelic?
It’s such an elusive thing because any genre can have a psychedelic bent to it. It can be a lot of things. It could be aesthetically pleasing ethereal sounds, discordant sounds, surrealistic lyrics, pop structures that are messed around with, or repetition done in a certain way. There’s a lot of different ways to interpret what can constitute a song as being psychedelic.
Adding to our previous question, which album would you give them to listen to?
I’d give them Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake by Small Faces.
Do psychedelic drugs have notable effects on music perception?
Sure. They can change perception of time and they have the potential to get rid of the tendency to critique or overthink while listening rather than be totally consumed by it. I think experiencing music fully can happen without psychedelic drugs though so I don’t think they should be seen as a rite of passage for getting into music.
In which place or state of mind do you imagine people might listen to your music?
Alone with headphones, going on a trip in the car, or being with someone who gets you. Also a nice night with a small group of close friends.
Thank you!
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