Psychic Markers share cover of Jack Clement’s “We Must Believe In Magic”
Psychic Markers kicked off 2018 releasing their sophomore album Hardly Strangers via Bella Union. The album married 50’s-tinged doo-wop with lush cinema-influenced soundscapes; by way of neo-psychedelic pop hooks stretched out into hypnotic and elongated jams befitting of 1970’s Germany . Today, they announce their UK live dates + an appearance at this weekends Shake The High Road Festival in London, as well as sharing a gorgeous cover of Jack Clement’s “We Must Believe In Magic” that see’s the band layering and pushing the song to it’s cosmic realms.
Psychic Markers – consisting of Alannah Ashworth, Lewis Baker, Steven Dove, Leon Dufficy and Luke Jarvis – are a hodgepodge bunch made up of members of various other bands and with a geographical backdrop that stretches countries as well as counties. So it makes sense that their music would be eclectically emblematic of such sprawling backgrounds.
Psychic Markers have announced that they will play this weekends Shake The High Road Festival in Leytonstone as well as embarking on two UK tours, the first of which will be with label mate BC Camplight. The second tour will see them head out on the road with their pals Still Corners, whom Dufficy and Jarvis were previously members of. Full dates can be found here.
Critical acclaim for Hardly Strangers, the sophomore album from Psychic Markers…
“While the machine-made pulse and texture suggest the influence of Kraftwerk and Cluster, traces of Broadcast and Ghost Box are just as discernable amid the band’s shimmering brand of psych.” – Uncut
“Veers from 50s doo wop to Krautrock abstraction and a neat line in devoutly English psych-pop… ‘Fields Of Abstraction’ is an off kilter indie gem, with its hard-earned melodic nous coupled to a willingness to step outside the rules.” – Clash
Psychic Markers marry motorik influences from key proponents of Krautrock with the indie-pop of acts like Stereolab.” – The Quietus
“Lilting rhythms and candied harmonies melt with bouts of raw, raggedy psychedlia – “Dreaming” grabs your by the lapels and drags you into a Wayne Coyne-designed Slumberland. Everything’s a bit strange, but it feels warm and welcoming nonetheless.” – The Line Of Best Fit
“The brilliant ‘Hardly Strangers’ weaves a captivating spell of a call and response distorted guitar hook before building to a cacophonous crescendo.” – Music OMH
“‘Hardly Strangers’ shows off how the band have developed as a songwriting unit in their years of writing together, being their biggest and most accomplished work to date… Their musical chemistry is on sharp display here, as washes of atmospheric electronics and production wizardry whirl their way around the central propulsive energy provided by the guitars and percussion.” – The 405
