I don’t very often dabble in psych rock these days, but sometimes something really special stands out. A song can grip my brain like an expert fisherman can pluck an energetic trout out of a stream, leaving me stuck in place like a severe case of couch lock, transfixed and at ease. Oh, hey! Today’s premiere is exactly that kind of song, but with a little more grit than what most modern psych tends to carry. Which means that this is scratching my psych rock itch in a very specific and interesting way. Check out the new music video for “HEAT” from Berlin-based headtrips BLKE!
Flash warning, by the way. Maybe like, turn your head or play it in the background if you have a flash sensitivity.
A big part of why I am stoked for this is the use of a motorik beat, the repetitive drum beat popularized by krautrock artists. Something about that rhythm and BPM makes it the ideal palette for colors of psychedelia of all kinds. BLKE, however, have chosen the dense, punk-informed pathway letting scaffolds of guitar and synth take you to greater heights as the track progresses, like that moment in Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas where Benicio del Toro‘s Dr. Gonzo is tripping on acid in the bathtub insisting that Hunter Thompson throw the tape player in when Jefferson Airplane‘s “White Rabbit” peaks. Not to say this is a bad acid trip, because I think Dr. Gonzo was having an OK time at that point. Anyway, this song escalates into almost doom territory as the heavier parts kick in towards its climax.
The band had the following to say about the track:
‘Driven by a relentless motorik pulse, the track draws heavily from Krautrock influences. Rising tension erupts into screeching guitars and droning synths, evoking an unnamed
force born from human existence. The song reflects humanity trapped within systems of its own making. It suggests an endless cycle of repetition, collapse, and warning.‘
The video matches this hypnosis, starting with a red/orange-toned-looking-out-the-window-of-a-car-in-geometric-distortions kinda vibe that along with the repetitive rhythm and relatively calmer first half of the song lulls you into a sense of comfort before the first saw-wave-with-distortion synth note bursts a fiery-half-closed eye onto the screen and we move into -glitching-PC-screen-shocking-you-back-into-consciousness vibes. It is an intense sonic and visual journey that demands your attention, and absolutely locks you in for their upcoming self-titled, debut record out May 22, 2026 via Tonzonen Records.
The warm tones of the video and deeply enveloping sound makes me think that this could be a great listen for the warmer weather, and since the day of this writing was a blizzard here, BLKE and late May can’t come fast enough. The “HEAT” will make me very happy. Check out Tonzonen Records on Instagram and Bandcamp as well as BLKE on Bandcamp for updates!
