Review | Mystic Peach at The Loft, Southsea: 'Music made for losing your mind to'

This instrumental five-piece trade in hypnotic soundscapes that take in everything from Krautrock to drones, via hints of the Middle East and ’70s Blaxploitation soundtrack funk.

With an improvisational edge, not everything works, but the vast majority of it does hit the mark and when they lock into a groove, one gets the impression they could keep going like that all night.

They have 28 releases on Bandcamp – I shall definitely be investigating further.

Headliners Mystic Peach announce their arrival with a blistering wall of feedback, and the intensity rarely lets up from there.

Frontman Curtis Gale strafes his guitar like a man possessed, exuding menace while barking the lyrics in a strangled yelp. It’s hard to take your eyes off him.

The sound is grungy, heavy psychedelia, and it is the kind of music made for losing your mind to in a small club.

Demon Sway is a highlight – starting off as one of their gentler (all things being relative) numbers before coming to a chaotic climax.

Early single Wanna Be My Daddy? is a swirling maelstrom that very nearly hits a singalong chorus.

But it’s not all the Curtis show - the rhythm section of Jimi Allen on drums and Joe Ingram on bass are no wallflowers.

Jimi pounds away at the back with some nice touches, while Joe fizzes with energy, coming into the crowd for the set’s finale.

While the venue is busy for this latest edition of the weekly Neu Waves club night, it’s by no means full. But those who are in attendance wholeheartedly embrace the demented spirit of the night. From halfway through the set a moshpit forms that doesn’t disperse until the end.

There’s a promise of more new music soon, and with the three-piece very much on an upward trajectory bigger things should await.

Although they’re from Southampton, don’t hold that against them, and they often perform at this end of the M27.

Make sure to catch them next time they’re in town.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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