Elephant Tree - Habits (2020)^{Release ID: 20352}

I've been an admirer of Elephant Tree since their 2014 debut, Theia and already this is my favourite album of theirs. It takes the psychedelic fuzz of early 70s heavy psych and marries it with the downtuned riffs of doom metal for a weighty, yet trippy musical experience. The vocals are more reminiscent of psych-influenced acts, particularly UK neo-psychedelia bands like The Charlatans or Kula Shaker with an ephemeral texture (a technique quite common with female vocalists, but not so much with their male counterparts). The Fall Chorus provides a reflective intermission at around the mid-point with an acoustic track that begins like The Byrds with a bluegrass breakdown. My favourite though has got to be the closing track, Broken Nails, that once again begins gently before the heaving doom riff kicks in as the track begins it's ascent to it's towering climax. I've got a feeling this is going to be a real grower.