introverttoday’s rock picks move through psychedelic grandeur, raw welsh rock ’n’ roll, heavy gothenburg shadows and seattle baroque psych-pop. these four tracks bring scale, grit and atmosphere into a wide guitar-led space.
like a flower - 800cc
The verdict
“800cc's new single turns psych-rock scale into a careful, vulnerable and beautifully layered statement”
like a flower is a vast psych-rock track built from substantial basslines, stacked vocals, layered guitars and a sound that feels close to coming unglued. after a soft intro, it follows a path you might not expect, and it kinda carries the grandeur of classic rock without falling into imitation. it's produced brilliantly, and i love the vocals and drum sound in particular. there's loads of impressive texture and emotional vulnerability here and the result is something really immersive and alive.
800cc is the detroit project of artist kevin kline, working here with producer charlie andrew, bandmate giancarlo diponio, matt glasbey and vocal contributions from ak patterson. recorded between detroit and iguana studios in brixton, the song draws from pink floyd, led zeppelin and the beatles while exploring strength through femininity. taken from the upcoming ep what i really am, it feels expansive, strange and deeply considered. we love this, and will be keeping an eye on this lot.
thank u for making this 800cc 🌸
green eyes - the spitting pips
The verdict
“the spitting pips turn romance into a beautifully direct and raw summer rock belter”
green eyes is an upbeat rock ’n’ roll track with swaggering guitars, catchy melodies and a bright summer charge. written by zachariah storm about his fiancée charlotte, it turns late nights, a couple glasses of vodka and romantic devotion into something loud, playful and built to send straight to a lover. it's produced beautifully, all narrow in the verses and then exploding in the chorus. and the melody? fantastic.
the spitting pips are a working-class rock band from llandudno, wales, led by storm on vocals, lead guitar and songwriting. recorded at catalyst studios in merseyside with sugar house productions, then mastered by robin schmidt, the track carries sharp production without losing its raw spirit. after shows across the uk and europe, and bills with major british names, the band sound confident, hungry and full of rock ’n’ roll life. best of all, this one's a real belter and we can't wait for more.
thank u for making this the spitting pips 💚
closed eyes - subsonic night shift
The verdict
“subsonic night shift drag heavy riffing into the shadow world with explosive beauty”
closed eyes is a heavy rock track built around supernova riffing, vocals from the void and a descent into the darker reaches of the human soul. the riff? it's huge. the vibe? even huge-r. clearly not a word, but you get what ai mean. the track explores how fear can be turned against us, feeding enemies inside and outside ourselves while the music pushes deeper into shadow. the band really create an atmosphere you can feel, and there's not many artists that do that so clearly.
subsonic night shift are a gothenburg-based band featuring zvonko hvizak on bass guitar, rat westlake on guitars and göran florström on vocals. with members connected to banned in gbg, cherokee death cats, marionet and generous maria, the group bring weight, experience and darkness to this second single. following winter debut karmic cycle, closed eyes hits with force and the most wonderful sense of menace. we'll keep coming back to this one, and hope they've got more up their sleeve.
thank u for making this subsonic night shift 🖤
the boy you love to burn - brian noyes
The verdict
“brian noyes makes psych-pop feel baroque, cinematic and we're completely spellbound”
the boy you love to burn is a dreamy psych-pop track with winsome baroque colour, surreal lyricism and a nostalgic cinematic streak. i love the pace of this, midtempo in the most careful, thoughtful way. it sits in a world of glimmering melodies and carefully shaped atmosphere, feeling ornate without losing the direct pull of a strong song. melodically and lyrically is where it shines, this one really is fantastic.
brian noyes is a seattle singer-songwriter, member of psych-pop group tomten and touring keyboardist for san francisco band papercuts. the single appears ahead of his third solo album the ringing world, continuing his collaboration with engineer and co-producer nicholas wilbur. influenced by nick drake, john cale, the clientele and bridget st. john, and joined by former members of la luz, alvvays and sugar candy mountain, noyes builds a richly textured world of his own. essential psych-pop this year.
thank u for making this brian noyes 🔮