Mellt have released their second EP, titled Visions, and as the name suggests, this 4-track work is one tiny ball of spacey, psychedelic dreams. Based in Vancouver, the alternative-psychedelic-rock band are proper underground at the moment, both metaphorically – relatively low, but slowly expanding following, and literally, due to the fact that the album has been recorded in a basement.
The EP begins with ‘Glow’ – the drums and funky-ish bass lines establish the foundation, a canvas if you will, onto which the keyboards and the chilled-out guitar begin to paint psychedelic imagery. Chris Smith’s crystal-clear voice brings to us a surreal tale. “He fled the feral cave / Held his hands, he could feel decay / His face began to rise / As he floated up he saw his own two eyes”, he sings right before the words are replaced by a warm, almost dreamy singing floating above the guitar chords. And oh my God, that break in the middle is outlandish.
‘Keep Us Apart’ is noticeably more energetic than ‘Glow’; however it does not deviate from the psychedelic vibe that the opening track has established. The higher intensity of ‘Keep Us Apart’ could be credited to the vocals. You can hear that the emphasis falls mostly on the singing which has virtually replaced the instrumental soundscapes of its predecessor.
‘Oceans’ stands out as a bit disruptive – a minute and a half into it, the groovy guitar is suddenly interrupted by a heavier sound for a brief moment. Again, the enchanting vocals echo to float above this apparent assault, much like one’s conscious might cling onto the last bits of sanity during a slightly overwhelming trip. Visions ends on a dreamier and warmer note, the one we heard on ‘Glow’. ‘Fool of You’ creates a warm and blooming soundscape as the EP goes through its final minute, which eventually fades away.
Almost a month after its release, Visions has been played around quite a bit. Their grooves have been featured on Indiemono’s Chill Electronic Spotify playlist. Furthermore, the EP has received nothing but praise from the few reviews it has.
Overall, Visions comes across as more homogenous than its self-titled predecessor – I feel like Mellt have managed to get all the tracks to fit into the same psychedelic frame. Add to that the fact that it is way shorter in length and you’ve got an EP that is easier to digest, yet better in quality. Truly a great effort and worth your time!
Words by Dragan Stefanov