The contemporary Progressive landscape gains a fascinating new cosmic route with the release of “MOTHerSHIP,” the latest effort from Mascot Moth, scheduled for June 19, 2026. Originally from Llanfyllin, in Wales, this sextet is no stranger to bold sonic excursions, as demonstrated by the singles that previewed the album between late 2025 and early 2026. With “MOTHerSHIP,” the band pushes the accelerator on a sound that critics define as “insidious and beautiful“, a kaleidoscopic amalgam where Krautrock meets Psychedelia and the most visceral Jazz-Funk. The lineup, comprising Sioned Camlin, Rob Harrison, Eric Heath, Jack Hunter, David Thomas, and Gavin Williamson-King, deploys an interplay of synthesizers, brass and vocals that promises a journey of gear shifts, experimentation and overflowing vitality. The album opener, “Ellis the Horn,” immediately immerses us in trumpet- and sax-infused atmospheres, with that idiosyncratic, Jazzy sound that is the band’s trademark. It is a piece that immediately declares the musical trajectories of the record, moving through continuous time changes and refined Krautrock and Psychedelia interweaving, with elaborate but always engaging textures. Next comes “(I Think I’m) Groovin’ It,” where the energetic Funk vein and that “tribal stomp” typical of the band’s language emerge. The track leaves ample room for instrumental sections where brass dialogues with dynamic vocal parts, resting on an articulated rhythm section that allows the theme to evolve over its extended duration, blending sonorities filtered through the group’s personal style. “Whatever It Was,” already released as a single in March 2026, represents a consolidated reference point, balancing Psych-Folk abstraction with a more defined groove. The track evolves from initial folk tones toward a darker Jazz-Prog, enriched by flute inserts evoking Canterburian atmospheres. The heart of the album is “The Inimitable David Lynch,” the longest track, steeped in mysterious and “insidious” atmospheres that reflect the dark and surrealist side of the band. The piece develops over a driving bass line that supports prolonged brass solos, showcasing the group’s technique in a finely crafted Progressive-Jazz. In “Lullaby in Giliminour,” the band explores moments of “guitar-led ambience” and softer, more relaxed sonorities, while maintaining a hidden energy. Built on warm vocal parts and dilated sounds, the track sees the guitar as protagonist amid melodic interweaving and a finale where the electric six-string meets the flute. “Sleeping in the Space Where the Dreams Take Place,” the January 2026 single, lives up to its evocative title with a dreamy and psychedelic sound. Choral vocal parts blend into expansive Psych-Prog atmospheres, amid keyboards carpets and Jazzy brass that lull the listener into a refined blend of music and words. Despite its gloomy title, “Flavour of Doom” does not forgo that “humour and joy” that characterises the band, steering the piece toward a complex Avant-Prog sound. The vocal follows the intricate time changes, enhancing the group’s more exploratory and original vein, both in the lyrics and in the refined sound. “You’re On Your Phone,” released in December 2025, reflects Mascot Moth‘s ability to be vital and contemporary. The track blends vocal parts with electronic sounds close to a krautrock infused with bass and funky guitars, unleashing a “robotic dance” energy, in a surprising meeting point between Funky Disco and Krautrock. The shortest track, “I Had a Dream Last Night,” is a hypnotic passage where the guitar takes centre stage over keyboards carpets and effects. The rhythm section moves slow but relentless, while the brass inserts itself among the arpeggios in a mix of experimentation and ethereal sounds. The closing “Dros y Bwlch” is a splendid finale in the Welsh language, a tribute to the roots of Llanfyllin. The ending summarises the experimental soul of “MOTHerSHIP” as a whole, with elaborate textures and brass intertwined in one of the most complex passages on the record, leaving the door open to future cross-pollinations. Ultimately, “MOTHerSHIP” confirms Mascot Moth as one of the most unpredictable and brilliant acts on the current experimental scene. The band maintains a perfect balance between moments of ambience and sudden explosions of “tribal stomp.” It is an Atmospheric album, at times melancholic, yet always pervaded by a vein of humour and joy, resulting simultaneously mysterious and vital. If you are looking for a record capable of surprising you, where the rigour of Prog fuses with the freedom of jazz improvisation, “MOTHerSHIP” is the ideal destination. A listen full of hidden energy that marks a milestone in the group’s discography. Enjoy the listen!
Tracklist
01. Ellis the Horn (05:15)
02. (I Think I’m) Groovin’ It (07:07)
03. Whatever It Was (04:04)
04. The Inimitable David Lynch (07:47)
05. Lullaby in Giliminour (07:26)
06. Sleeping in the Space Where the Dreams Take Place (05:08)
07. Flavour of Doom (07:29)
08. You’re On Your Phone (04:46)
09. I Had a Dream Last Night (03:48)
10. Dros y Bwlch (06:46)
Lineup
Sioned Camlin / Drums and Vocals
Rob Harrison / Flute and Saxophone
Eric Heath / Synths
Jack Hunter / Bass, Keys and Vocals
David Thomas / Guitar, Trumpet, Vocals
Gavin Williamson-King / Synths
Read our Interview with the band here: [Exclusive Interview] The Solstice Sound of Mascot Moth: Inside the New Album “MOTHerSHIP”