Phantasmagoria Vol. 2
Phantasmagoria Vol. 2 scheduled for release on vinyl and digital download via Sister9 Recordings on 28 October 2022.
This mix of psychedelic rock paints a picture of dystopian counterculture dressed in gritty, cheeky, sweaty ambition. The bands all innovate inside of lesser known corners of contemporary music where raw creative impulses rule the airwaves. This is the kind of music that makes the freaks, geeks, and weirdos wiggle in delight. The music has a lo-fi sound that will inspire aspiring guitarists and punk rockers to kick off their journey in music writing and recording trying their own hand at a sound that is outsider. One of the best things about the music on Phantasmagoria Vol. 2 is that it celebrates musicians who give two f*cks about what a pop star might thing of their songs. These artists are instead interested in being original and stoking that inner fire and capturing it in wild abandon.
Phantasmagoria is a music festival in Liverpool organized by Happy Daze and the bands on the compilation will be performing at the concert. Based on the music in this collection it will be a wicked fun and wild time with music heads celebrating unbridled rock music. If the live performances have half the energy of these recordings this concert will be off the hook.
This compilation has edgy music that draws from punk, noise, garage rock, and neo-psychedelia. It presents a sample platter of underground rock music that is focused on dark, punk, retro and avant forms. Most of the album is coated in dirty guitars, hypnotic beats, and wild vocal performances.
The Ivies song Ego is the lightest offering on the album with a 70s sound, clear vocal melodies, dream pop guitar lines and psychedelic reverse delay sounds like those features in ‘Tomorrow Never Knows‘ from The Beatles. They use folk music and blend it with dreamy dream pop.
Helicon contributes an edited version of their song Freakuency; it is edited because the original was way too long for this album. Helicon is from Glasgow, Scotland and offers futurist dark heavy psych and they are known for putting on outstanding live performances. Helicon delivers on innovative song structures, cyborg sci-fi synths and psyched out heavy guitars with loads of echo sending the sound into outter space. Helicon may be the best-known band on the album and their music is a journey of heavy and psychedelic space rock. The guitarists soar together with dual lines that are in synch with the synth. Their drum and bass are deeply hypnotic combining motorik rhythms with electronic influences. This is a band that must be seen live as their sets have improvised elements that take listener all the way there.
Not to be out done, Harks brings a noisey track that combines many genres including eastern rock, King Gizzard like pacing, blasting noise, and heavy metal. Fruit Tones riff with ratty fuzz and garage psych rock that share an affinity with Ty Segall. They use pop and stop rhythms with treble boosted punky guitar lines, snarling group sing with percussive vocals. The Lotts come in echoing guitar effects, filter microphone vocals that have indistinguishable lyrics and loads of attitude. They sound like 50s dragsters on acid. Deja Vega’s song Spitting Gas is dark menacing with ripping guitar riffs, heavy reverb and rhythmic male vocals. This band kicks out rock music that is more about the energy of what is played than the musical composition. Deja Vega know how to ignite a track with raw rock power.
Phantasmagoria Vol. 2
Deluxe 12″ vinyl of Phantasmagoria Vol 2. Pressed on tasty transparent orange vinyl! Limited Edition to just 300 copies.
Track listing:
Side A
Deja Vega – Spitting Gas
Helicon – Freakuency
Harks – Bottle Dropper
Side B
The Ivies – Ego
The Lotts – Give Me What I Want
Fruit Tones – Heavy Bite
The album features six of the seven artists who played Phantasmagoria 2022 in Liverpool on Saturday 29th October including Deja Vega, Helicon, Harks, Fruit Tones, The Lotts and The Ivies.
Credits: Artwork Conor Dardis. Final mix and mastering done by Matthew Doxey at Tesla Studios Sheffield.
https://sister9.com/album/phantasmagoria-vol-2-vinyl-lp
https://www.facebook.com/Sister9Recordings
https://www.facebook.com/happydazealways
Also, there are a few copies of Volume 1 still available here:
sister9.com/album/phantasmagoria-vol-1-vinyl-lp
