Dear readers we have the pleasure to offer you in this article an interview with a Heavy Psych band from Dallas, Texas whose new album was released on July 12, 2024. We welcome Land Mammal.
Hi, how are you?
“Very good. Thank you for doing this interview. We are excited to share our music with the world.“
What is the meaning of your band name Land Mammal?
“Land Mammal was a term that we created to point out that humans are part of the animal kingdom and possess many animalistic traits. It’s a term to signify the human as another entity on this planet and to remind ourselves that we must share this planet with many other animals and live side by side in harmony with each other as well.“
You play a heavy Psych sound with meditative and experimental traits, how did your passion for these sounds come about?
“For me, (Will, guitar) my passion for the psych and experimental genre came from listening to early guitar pioneers such as Jimi Hendrix. I hear some bands that try and copy his style completely, which can be interesting in some cases, but you’ll never be able to make music as good as the masters. I think I just wanted to naturally progress the heavy psych style and create our own sound relying on the past as an example of what the future could hold.“
“I (Kinsley, vocals/lyrics) became addicted to the genre of Psychedelic Rock when I first listened to, Led Zeppelins – ‘Houses of the Holy’, at age 14. I was blown away by Robert Plant and the sound of Page’s guitar. This band was a gateway into the genre and Iespecially love Psychedelic Rock because it offers an endless rabbit hole of exploration.“
Your new album “Emergence” was released on July 12, 2024 via Kozmik Artifactz, how would you describe this work?
“Emergence, was written during sessions in the midst of the pandemic. I think all of us were in a headspace of wondering about the future and wanted to escape some of the social and political ills of the time. A lot of the influence came from listening to our heros such as David Gilmour, and focusing on encapsulating the way we were all feeling. In a sense, we just basically wrote how we felt – reflective, contemplative, and wanting to escape society for a bit. We pretty much threw away all of the preconceived notions that music has to follow a certain formula, and went in a direction that we felt
benefitted the music in the best way.“
Both the music and the vocals are intense and sophisticated, what themes do the lyrics of the album deal with?
“When we write a song, we usually start with an acoustic guitar, some incense, a blank paper and pen, and just jam on an idea until it takes flight. Often songs will manifest inbits and pieces, but often lines or lyrical phrases will be conjured all at once. I believe there is a sort of magic and muse involved in our writing, so often I feel like I’m channeling an idea or just communicating what the music is saying. Lyrical themes – we discuss a lot in, ‘Emergence’, it’s a journey of self-realization, reflection, human struggle, liberation and triumph over opposition.“
Several artists with numerous instruments participate in the album, what did they bring to the sound of the album?
“We used a ton of our friends on this album. Each one brought a different element to it. We wanted to use a lot of eastern elements (such as sitar) and add our own western elements to it to encompass the theme that “we are one, and in this together”. We think it brings a very spaced out and free form vibe that we very much like.“
Elaborate and engaging music at the same time, how does the creative process of your tracks take place?
“It usually just originates as a single idea. It could be a simple bassline, guitar riff, some chords strummed together – and then we slowly build on the ideas through jamming and improvisation. The best ideas always come quickly and effortlessly. If we spend too much time on something – its time to move on and come back to it later. So in a sense, the whole album is a flowing river of ideas and spontaneous improvisations linked together to create a continuous idea from start to finish.“
A genre that is perfect for live performances, do you have plans in this regard for the near future?
“We enjoy playing live. There’s nothing better than performing music and adding visual elements as well, such as liquid lights that overwhelm the senses. We play gigs around town and go on road trips.“
How has your sound evolved since 2019 in the course of your releases?
“A lot of our early stuff had some of the elements that we used on Emergence, but you can see the natural progression from more of a standard rock outfit to more of a psych band. I think we just got tired of the status quo in the music industry and decided to make music that we personally enjoy the most.”
What advice would you give to young artists approaching music in a genre like yours?
“Make music that you enjoy! It sounds simple enough, but when you make music that you enjoy and have a passion for, that comes through to the listener and is authentic. There’s a lot of fake, cringy music out there. Being authentic and true to yourself is a big key to that.“
The USA has an excellent musical tradition, how do you see today’s music scene in your please and more generally in the Psychedelic genre?
“We agree. There are a ton of excellent bands in the USA, but also more specifically in our home state of Texas. Stevie Ray Vaughn and Dimebag Darrell grew up in our hometown, and that’s just a couple of the names out of a long list of legends. The psych garage genre in general had a huge start from Roky Erickson and The 13th Floor Elevators, so root run deep here. It does seem like the psych genre has seen a huge increase in the past decade in Texas, especially from bands like The Black Angels and Khruangbin…theres really almost too many to mention. They’ve certainly put psych
into the cultural canon of Texas music, and its so refreshing to hear. I think it will only continue to grow as people’s ability to seek out music from alternative sources (like the internet) allows them to explore new music that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to appreciate.“
Do you have any other activities or artistic passions outside of music?
“I (Will) certainly enjoy mountain biking and going out in nature when I can. There’s
something about being out in nature that is inspiring and calming. I also love listening
and collecting vinyl records.“
“I (Kinsley) love collecting Vinyl, spending time with my beautiful girlfriend and elder cat, Gatbsy! Recording home demos, songwriting and singing live and in studio as much as possible.“
I thank Land Mammal for the interview and wish them all the best in the continuation of their artistic career.”
Read our Review of their new album here: [Review] Land Mammal – Emergence
Purchase their new album on Bandcamp: https://landmammal.bandcamp.com/album/emergence
