Numerous bands are riding on the crest of the current psych wave, and the amazing thing about this particular scene is that most of them are really quite good. Any scene usually has its shining lights and then a flood of chancers, bandwagon-jumpers and imitators looking to cash-in, but here everyone seems to be singing from the same hymn sheet, but importantly, not singing the same hymns. The 'Moksha' EP is the debut release for Moksha Medicine, a London band who formed last year, and while they bear plenty of hallmarks shared with others on the circuit, they also have a few of their own additions. Effects pedals get a good workout, giving a variety of guitar sounds, but 'Egyptian' in particular is very song-based and a good indicator that they're not simply going through the motions.
It's the other tunes on the EP that see Moksha Medicine allow themselves to experiment more and dig a little deeper into the roots of the genre. The long, instrumental intro to 'Bardo' takes a lead from the more out-there '60s pioneers and adds a twist of early Spacemen 3 to create a buzzing drone with vocals that could have come from Siouxsie Sioux. It's an interesting hybrid to say the least, but it a good one, especially when it takes off in the final third and allows the guitars and drums to roam free across the song. The spooky intro to 'Dareh' almost seems to take folk music and filter it through some kind of electronic drone machine, resulting in a track that somehow seems to transcend barriers a little more. The only suitable word for its description would be "psych", and that, as you know, can mean many things. The distorted guitars of Spacemen 3 are fundamental to this song, as are the vocals which recall bands such as Jefferson Airplane and even Fairport Convention. It all makes for a fine cocktail.
Moshka Medicine's website
Stream the EP in full
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