Puff, puff. Smoke. That’s the saying, isn’t it? There’s something communal and comforting about the time-honored tradition of passing around a big fat joint. Be it from the bean bags of the ’70s in a suburban bedroom while listening to the crackles on a worn-out version of Ummagumma, or the hard mattresses of a dorm room in the nineties while wearing out the ribbons on a Mudhoney tape, certain sounds just lend themselves to drifting off into the mental haze of a sativa-induced psychosis. Berlin band (via South Africa) Goblyns tap into this semi-narcotic state on their latest slab of psychedelic glory, “No Words.” The band was kind enough to bless the virtual offices of Everything Is Noise with the video from their first single off of their upcoming June release.
The song starts with a fuzzed-out bass over a simple, confident drumbeat before shimmering, tremolo-drenched guitars linger in like glitter being dropped over a blood-orange lava lamp. Laid back harmonies harken memories of late ’60s San Francisco, a day-glo cable car down the center of Haight Street. With the beats per minute swaying to the pace of a pocket watch being swung like a Grateful Dead bear, the music Goblyns makes does conjure up images of the Southern Cape in South Africa, a vibe not much different than west coast California. It’s a strikingly confident slab of psychedelic music that seems to draw inspiration from a globe’s worth of burning bushes.
Brothers Liam and Francis Broek specialize in ‘sticky syncopated drum and bass hooks‘, the latter’s falsettos adding another layer of charm to the ingratiating track. Guitarist Giovanni Votano plays a Fender Telecaster that sounds as if it was lifted from the cold, dead hands of Syd Barrett himself. While primarily an instrumental band, “No Words” opens another door to the black-lit walls of the band’s psychedelic attic of rock and roll. If the song is any indication, as it most certainly is, the next Goblyns record might just be the one that sees them passing the musical Camberwell carrot to the next generation of glassy-eyed groove enthusiasts.
Light a fat one and check out Goblyns on their website and follow them on Instagram. Their new album will be released by Crazysane Records this July.
