Polish-Japanese collective AcidSitter return with “Escape From Egoland,” a sprawling neo-Psychedelic journey that marries Psych Rock, Garage energy, and modern stoner flair with a narrative depth rarely encountered in contemporary Psych releases. Produced by Maciek Cieślak (Ścianka) and recorded entirely on tape to evoke the warmth and immediacy of 1960s Psychedelia, the album is both a sonic and conceptual manifesto—a meditation on ego dissolution, spiritual rebirth, and humanity’s entanglement with its own excess. The album opens with “Eleusis Dream,” a brief yet compelling overture that immediately immerses the listener in AcidSitter’s universe. Filip Franczak’s bass lines anchor the track with a subtle but firm groove, while Rafał Klimczak’s vocals float atop intricate guitar interplays by Tetsuya Nara and Klimczak himself. The track blends dreamy psych textures with a touch of Prog sophistication, offering dynamic shifts and syncopated rhythms that foreshadow the album’s unfolding journey. “Doomscroller’s Blues” follows, channeling 1960s Psych-Pop nostalgia while maintaining the band’s distinctive modern edge. Here, the dual guitars weave melodic narratives that oscillate between hypnotic riffs and soaring solos, underpinned by Tomek Głuc’s nuanced drumming. The track’s lyrical and instrumental interplay emphasizes human alienation in the digital age, delivering both nostalgia and relevance. With “Killegos Attack!” AcidSitter ramps up intensity. The track functions as a kinetic Psych-Prog/Space Rock hybrid, where effervescent guitar textures meet a relentless rhythm section. Klimczak’s vocoder-inflected vocals ride over cosmic synth accents, while Franczak’s bass locks in with Głuc’s drumming to form a groove both propulsive and intricate. Dynamic shifts and tempo changes punctuate the track, transitioning seamlessly from expansive instrumental passages to vocal-led sections, showcasing the band’s technical dexterity and affinity for spatial, almost cinematic soundscapes. “Your Eyes Were Orange Like The Sky” is the album’s centerpiece in length and ambition. The song opens with a hallucinatory, nearly liquid Psych soundscape that gradually coalesces into intense melodic and harmonic layers. Klimczak’s voice navigates a spectrum of emotion, from introspective vulnerability to impassioned urgency, while Nara’s guitar textures alternate between shimmering arpeggios and distorted climaxes. The track culminates in a lengthy instrumental section that seamlessly fuses elements of neo-Psychedelia, Space Rock, and Prog, a testament to AcidSitter’s compositional sophistication. “OmeN” delivers a heavier, more ominous tone. Anchored by Franczak’s thunderous bass riffs and Głuc’s percussive precision, the track incorporates Heavy Psychedelia with Progressive rhythmic excursions. The guitar work oscillates between piercing riffs and Experimental textures, while Klimczak’s vocal delivery ranges from commanding to subtly rough-edged, reinforcing the sense of narrative drama that permeates the album. “PSYCHOPOMP” is an ambitious highlight, where the band channels stoner psych energy alongside Doom-inspired darkness and cosmic atmospheres. Rhythmic accelerations, intricate tempo changes, and effects-laden guitar layers create a ritualistic progression. Klimczak’s vocals shift between incantatory chants and melodic passages, while Nara and Franczak provide counterpoint in the form of swirling guitar motifs and grounding basslines. The track stands as a sonic rite of passage within the album, merging heaviness, Psychedelia, and cosmic sensibilities. The album’s closing trilogy—“Seven Is My Lucky Number,” “Touched,” and “Look At The Sun”—guides the listener toward catharsis. “Seven Is My Lucky Number” is rhythmically infectious, blending retro Psych-Pop gestures with contemporary flair. Franczak’s bass drives the track forward, while Głuc’s percussion and Nara’s guitar lines create a jubilant momentum. “Touched” is predominantly instrumental, layered with American-tinged Psych textures and Dark undertones, culminating in a late-arriving vocal that punctuates the track with reflective intensity. The album concludes with “Look At The Sun,” a piece that juxtaposes accessible Psych-Pop motifs with intricate Latin-Rock influenced phrasing, closing the album with both warmth and compositional sophistication. Throughout “Escape From Egoland,” AcidSitter demonstrate a mastery of tonal contrast, dynamic layering, and narrative cohesion. Each member contributes meaningfully: Franczak’s bass work grounds even the most ethereal passages, Klimczak’s vocals convey emotional depth and Psychedelic gravitas, Nara’s guitar interludes offer textural and melodic sophistication, and Głuc’s drumming balances precision with exploratory flair. The production, tape-recorded for analog authenticity, enhances the album’s warmth, making each harmonic nuance and textural detail perceptible. “Escape From Egoland” is an album that rewards repeated listening. It bridges past and present, drawing from Psych Rock, Stoner, Garage, and Prog traditions while asserting a unique modern voice. AcidSitter have crafted a work of technical prowess, melodic invention, and conceptual depth—an essential listen for fans of neo-Psychedelia and contemporary Heavy Psych.
Purchase “Escape From Egoland” here: https://interstellarsmokerecords.bigcartel.com/
Tracklist
01. Eleusis Dream (03:11)
02. Doomscroller’s Blues (04:34)
03. Killegos Attack! (04:40)
04. Your Eyes Were Orange Like The Sky (08:15)
05. OmeN (04:45)
06. PSYCHOPOMP (05:10)
07. Seven Is My Lucky Number (02:39)
08. Touched (03:55)
09. Look At The Sun (04:22)
Lineup
Filip Franczak (Fraktale, Tumbling Walls, Kaseciarz) / Bass Guitar
Rafał Klimczak (NEAL, Neal Cassady) / Vocals, Guitar, Synthesizers
Tetsuya Nara (Tumbling Walls) / Guitar, Vocals
Tomek Głuc (Neal Cassady, Nucleon) / Drums, Handsonic