BRAINSWARM - Brainswarm

5 songs
21:15 minutes
***** ****
Friendly Psychics

Bandpage

Brainswarm consist of musicians of no longer active bands Bullet Gastino and Dishwater Psychics who used to be on Friendly Psychics Music. Brainswarm is also the label’s only band where all members live in the same state. Insiders will quickly hear the unmistakable Ohio flavour.

And truly, the band reminds me mostly of Guided By Voices from Dayton, Ohio. As is customary on this label, we get their beloved lo-fi sound, something which in the past sometimes failed due to lacklustre production values. Brainswarm do everything right though and play earthy rock that can unhesitatingly be called timeless. Vocalist Tom Donovan has a very agreeable voice, not unlike that of Robert Pollard, that also stays masculine in higher registers. The five tracks featured on the EP are all fabulous, but there is still one unsurpassable highlight with Perspectives that has all the qualities of a GBV classic like for instance Teenage FBI. While the band is opting for a raspy sound on the first three tracks, they end the record with two slower numbers, where especially the concluding title track enchants due to its unusual structure.

This debut sounds extremely promising, making me wonder if Brainswarm have even crafted the strongest musical statement ever to be released on their label. Those who love American lo-fi music will find no way around Brainswarm. Let’s hope they have the necessary potential to follow this up with a longplayer sometime in the near future.