Disclaimer: we at Start-Track do not encourage, recommend, or otherwise condone the use of illicit drugs. Nor do we admit, in any legally-binding sense, to ever having partaken in them or even standing downwind of those who do.
But, with the legal boilerplate out of the way, let’s speak frankly: if you happen to find yourself under the influence of psychedelics this summer—with the breeze soft in the trees, and the heat of your sunburned neck dissipating into the evening air—do yourself a favor and spin Glimpse, the new EP from Brooklyn-based psych revivalists Good Time Mystery Vision. This is music to peak to—29 minutes of shiny, fuzz-drenched vibes with the crunchy warmth of an FM classic rock station blasting through a car radio. It arrives straight from the golden 60’s era of psych-rock nuggets, just in time to soundtrack the sweaty euphoria of this year’s festival season.
Glimpse is caked in instrumental extravagance. The guitars are boisterous and riffy, with each track capstoned by a good ol’ fashioned face-melter of a solo that sweeps you up, spits you out, and leaves you drifting in its wake, craving more. The lyrics dance with Syd Barrett-style whimsy, carried by vocal harmonies that sparkle with the road-worn charm of The Grateful Dead. Underneath it all, an Allman Brothers-esque texture of keys glues the arrangements together, while a relentless rhythm section keeps you moving and swaying, grounding your body in the grass beneath your toes even as your mind floats far above.
The trip begins with “Fish,” a vibrant track featuring a protagonist who is—metaphorically, or perhaps literally—a fish. The intro hits with pure Rock n’ Roll bombast, while the phrase “Got the parameters just right” confirms that the psychedelic experience has now begun in earnest. The song’s second half devolves into a magnificent instrumental jam, where a grooving bassline and echoing guitars play within a mellow cosmos of spacey effects.
Just as the sonic overload threatens to overwhelm, “Ferris Wheel” offers a spot of shade in which to chill out. Driven by hazy, Hendrix-style rhythm guitar, “Ferris Wheel” feels like a dusk stroll beneath the boardwalk, the wind cooling your brow in a pocket of peace that is insulated from—but still vibrating with—the neon hustle above. For a second, it seems that the turbulence is over. The trip has turned a gentle corner, and the comedown will be smooth.
Or so you thought—but Glimpse has other plans. The illusion of safety is shattered by the opening psych-fuzz blast of “Panda Man,” which wrings out your soul with an energy that is equal parts jitter and awe. It’s not until the EP closes with “So I Say” that the storm finally clears, leaving behind a heartfelt, anthemic space in which to ponder whatever cosmic lessons can be scraped from the husk of your consciousness. As the final notes of this cathartic closer drift away, the bass lingers with one last, playful riff, and you’ll practically pull a muscle reaching to hit the replay button.
Listen to Glimpse below (BYO substances, ego safety not guaranteed):
Written by John Bagatta
