14 « January « 2020 « The RingMaster Review

With two rather well-received albums under their belts, Irish-Canadian psych-garage rockers The Orange Kyte have already revealed an individual sound as rich in its variety as it is fascinating in its character. Even so with loose ends connected and its web of adventure extended it is an evolving exploration of enterprise which has now come to a head in new album Carousel.

The Vancouver outfit’s fusion of garage and psych rock with shoegaze and indie inclinations again breeds the tracks making up Carousel but each stands as an individual enticement as much a pop protagonist as a rock incitement with many more flavours embraced in their fairgrounds of curiosity and adventure. From start to finish, the album dances with the body whilst taking flight with the imagination, its touch dirty and voice haunting but at its core a body of rock ‘n’ roll revelry.

Founded in 2016, originally as a solo project by Dublin hailing singer /songwriter/guitarist Stephen White (Magic Shoppe, ex- Strange Things and Ireland’s House of Dolls), The Orange Kyte inspirations include the broad likes of The Velvet Underground, Syd Barrett, Graham Coxon, The Byrds, Primal Scream, The Who, Death in Vegas, CAN, White Fence, Spiritualized and Super Furry Animals as well as psychedelia and krautrock in general. Many are essences which immediately flavour the heart and endeavour of Carousel as revealed by opener Masquerade!

The instant jangle of Mat Durie and White’s guitars immediately enticed keen attention as rhythms pounced, the psych flames of Matty Reed’s sax only intensifying the tempting. From its first breath quickly after, the song’s stroll is an eager bounce, the animated beats of drummer Dave Mulvaney as encouraging as the dark swing of Pierce Kingan’s bass, it all wrapped in the just as infectious hug of Durie’s keys. Together the ingredients made for a virulent and addictive enticement, one as rousing, bordering on the rowdy, as it was dark and invasively provocative.

The Modern Day Saints follows with a slightly more tempered gait but one again as contagious as the melodic warmth and enterprise making up its infection. As in all songs, Whites tones are a dream coated lure of temptation and lyrical observation within a web of tenacious sound while every element of the track hit the spot with Chris van der Laan swinging the sticks this time, the sax again especially potent before Distractions springs its melodic gossamer upon drum machine beats to beguile and haunt the senses. There is a House Of Love breath to the track at times which only adds to its psychedelic thought and irresistible seduction.

A rapacious appetite comes with the creative promotion of C.O.P., the controlled but boisterous persistence of the song again utter contagion even as vocals and melodic invention continually evolves and accentuates its ear gripping body while the following pair of Little Death Balloon and Demonstration Garden with their respective groove bound captivation and drone scented serenade similarly seized keen ears, the former a glorious slice of the band’s sound and imagination bound in one of the album’s major highlights with its successor, as all tracks, no lightweight in thick enterprise and temptation.

The R/B spun garage rock canter of Infinity Rope equally had attention in the palms of its transfixing surf coated hands to emulate the success of the tenacious garage pop antics shared by Sea Of Love / Ocean Of Hate before it , a constantly growing track again fusing psychedelic and pop exploits in a moment of creative manipulation.

The Chris van der Laan produced Carousel closes with the stripped down offering of Downfall, a sinking into sonic smog as inviting and evocative as it is disturbing and disorientating, and finally the sixties pop lined garage pop of Captain Ron. Both songs echo the diversity of the release, the band’s sound, and the inescapable lure of the creative fertility behind it all.

Carousel is a real joy, a ride of enterprise which effortlessly got under the skin whilst announcing The Orange Kyte one of the leading lights in the next decade of garage/psych adventure.

Carousel is out now on 12″ pink vinyl from Little CLoud Records (US/Canada) and Cardinal Fuzz (UK/EU) and digitally @ https://theorangekyte.bandcamp.com/album/carousel

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Pete RingMaster 14/01/2020

As the UK once again went to vote for the next misstep in the country’s political direction, Huddersfield hailing electronic act Cabinet of Millionaires unleashed another of their ear and thought grabbing incitements in the shape of the Stop The Coup EP. It presents a trio of politically-charged tracks centred around the bands lead original assault on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s campaign for re-election.

Stop The Coup is also the first Cabinet of Millionaires actual artist collaboration, the band linking up with acclaimed dub act Zion Train on the original, known as the Pfeffel Mix, which opens up the release. Embracing potent provocative samples shaping the suitability of and attack on the PM, the track is an electronic stroll embracing thought, opinion, and instinctive incitement. Its inherent catchiness is as ripe too just as the rebellious nature of its voice, each as honest as they are direct, defiant and inviting.

Just as powerful remixes provide the other pair of tracks within the EP, the first from Bristol-based Acid House Therapy a tension fuelled kaleidoscopic take as invasive as it is dramatically compelling with all its twists and hall of mirror like aspects.

The final track is a rock enforced stomp provided by Leeds club night promoter, DJ and producer Mikk Stupp. Funk bound, rock driven, the final version of Stop The Coup is a voracious, verging on the barbarous, electro rock incitement pouncing on ears, the senses, and its protagonist with creative agility.

As another critical moment in UK political history was upon us Cabinet of Millionaires provided another momentous to mark and challenge it. The Stop The Coup EP is the band and its allies at their best, a reason alone to share one’s voice.

The Stop The Coup EP is available through Chocolate Fireguard Records now @ https://cabinetofmillionaires.bandcamp.com/album/stop-the-coup