The Shifting Sands: Cosmic Radio Station (Fishrider)

 |   |  <1 min read

The Shifting Sands: Should Be Better
The Shifting Sands: Cosmic Radio Station (Fishrider)

Three years ago the Flying Nun compilation Time To Go reminded us of the downer psych-rock out of the South Island in the Eighties with familiar names like the Clean, Chills and Puddle alongside the barely-recalled Wrecks Small Speakers and the Victor Dimisich Band.

This three-piece from Port Chalmers-Adjacent – who run the local venue Chick's and here include the Clean's David Kilgour on two songs — explore similar territory in the 21st century. And not much has changed.

So here be gloriously under-fi drone-scuzz psyche-rock (the shoe-gaze Make It Through), a coming-down-again instrumental Whareakeake (with mournful violin), widescreen-Clean (Should Be Better, Coming Back ) and ear-damaging rock which says “Never mind the quality, come feel the noise'n'feedback” (Dreaming to Keep Awake).

To Shifting Sands' credit if not a lot screams originality, they do know the merit of economy (10 songs in 40 minutes suits my concentration span).

The appropriate closer Radio Silence with Kilgour is a lovely astral psyche-dreamscape.

If this astutely programmed trip came down the wire into your private radio station and you were in a cosmic mood you'd be very receptive.

If you . . . . umm. . . . get my . . . umm . . . drift.

Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   Music at Elsewhere articles index

B2KDA: Rising (b2kda.com)

B2KDA: Rising (b2kda.com)

New Zealand's Batucada Sound Machine were rightly hailed -- that is, danced furiously to -- by audiences across the globe for their well oiled take on horn-driven upbeat party music with a South... > Read more

Mdou Moctar: Afrique Victime (Matador/digital outlets)

Mdou Moctar: Afrique Victime (Matador/digital outlets)

Remarkably, it has been more than 15 years since Elsewhere started to write about what has been called “desert blues” or “Sahara blues” out of the Tuareg (and beyond)... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

THE SACRED TRIANGLE; BOWIE, IGGY AND LOU 1971-1973 (Sexy Intellectual/Triton DVD)

THE SACRED TRIANGLE; BOWIE, IGGY AND LOU 1971-1973 (Sexy Intellectual/Triton DVD)

It's hard to believe but in the same year as the Velvet Underground's debut album came out, David Bowie's new single was The Laughing Gnome, a gimmick song and another desperate step in trying to... > Read more

DUANE AND GREGG ALLMAN, THEIR SHUFFLED-UP DEBUT RECONSIDERED (2019): Southern rock'n'soul brothers

DUANE AND GREGG ALLMAN, THEIR SHUFFLED-UP DEBUT RECONSIDERED (2019): Southern rock'n'soul brothers

Although the Allman name was carried by brother Gregg for decades after the death of Duane, it was that classic Allman Brothers Band which many today default to. After Duane was killed in a... > Read more