Words by: Shannon Beech | Photography by: Aoife Hyland | EP artwork by: Rhianna Berthoud
Mothman, The Man and the band’s brand-new self-titled EP are an unequivocally mesmerising trip into psychedelic rock, and somehow, they’ve mastered the art of being more indie than indie; which is pretty much the definition of indie so that’s how you know it’s impressive.
The sound of ‘The Mothman EP’ is incredibly hard to pin down to just one comparison or influence. Boasting seven tracks that somehow incorporate a vast array of modern alt-rock impressions and homages is certainly a feat.
As you make your way along the utter trip that is ‘The Mothman EP’, starting with the aptly named ‘Scott Pilgrim Type Beat’, then you’ll find the naming of this particular track to be hilariously on the nose.
Seriously, if I had never seen the film and someone just described the soundtrack to me then I would assume this was on it. It’s chaotic, it’s in your face, and it’s beautifully fuzzy garage rock. The instrumentals pulse rhythmically in your ears while the lyrics adopt a short and repetitive approach to really drive home the nature of the guitar and bass.
Continuing along the tracks, you’ll hear more familiar and iconic musical styles, seemingly paying homage to the likes of ‘The Kooks’ within the (very) occasional gentle and melodic guitar strum, a hint of the ‘Gorillaz’ within the lyrical essence.
Probably most noticeably; sounds reminiscent of ‘Nirvana’ appear prudently in ‘Formaldehyde’ (a very Nirvana-esque track name too, by the way, I love it) and ‘Concept of Time’. You can hear the 90’s alternative and rebellion era in the bold speed transitions and very much incorporated into the slight rasp and neutrality of many of the lyrics. The neutrality is complimented perfectly with the fire and fever of the instrumentals.
It gets even crazier when you watch the music video for ‘Do You Hear The Sounds?’ created by Rhianna Berthoud. The animated piece perfectly encapsulates what you feel and imagine when listening to the spark and intensity of this album. Bright colours and trippy imagery bounce and gyrate to the beat all the while creating a strange sense of bitter-sweet melancholy, as the fun and childlike animations dance to the rather layered forlorn lyrics.
I deeply appreciate the band’s zesty experimentation that is mixing different elements of sound and style to really cement themselves in the exciting tornado that is psychedelic indie rock. A seriously difficult sound to master without falling into a hole of audible disorganisation. But this band has really understood the blueprint of the genre and how to piece the concept of disorder and mayhem together, creating an exhilarating and adrenaline spiking experience that will have you coming back for more.
The Mothman EP is out now and available to listen to on all major streaming platforms.
Instagram: @mothman.theman