ninehertz

It felt inevitable to anyone who’s seen them live or heard their last release that Self-Immolation Music would reach one of the heavy psych cornerstone labels of the UK soon enough. (There's massive credit due to Delicious Clam Records, who have backed them and released their last album.) They have flown a little under the radar, but thankfully not much gets past Cardinal Fuzz who have made a home for them and together bring us this new offering.

Recorded once again by Gentlemans Pistols’ James Atkinson, Strange Worship is an evolutionary step forward once more. They have always had a garage-rock driving spirit within psychedelic worlds, and while this clearly remains they have developed their sound into an all-encompassing world of droning, mind-altering distortion, the album consumed best as a whole for the full effect.

From the off, it is clearly psych but with full blooded guitars, a sheer and inherent indie cool ever present, and with a hazy fuzz and natural swagger, even in its lazier movements. There are tracks that exist in held restraint, bubbling away within thick atmospheres of psych surrounds. There’s even a doom slant to the title track, a menace in the air as it slowly rolls forth, shrouded in black cloud.

It ends, if anything, stronger than before – first through the superb You Make it Real’s warmth and beauty through a light and easy rise, subtle and happy; and then Retroflex’s heady whirling rock with a nod to The Heads.

Their last album, Infinity Trip had some stellar tunes that made for a very good album; the more rounded Strange Worship is a great one.