4 out of 5

Label: VHF Records

Produced by: ?

In a hurry to put on an album by two of my favorite psych artists, I neglected to read up about this release, or glance at its liner notes, rather assuming it to be a collabo. And then from the opening electronic stuttering assault of Frog, I was taken aback: I don’t know how this combo worked, but I loved It. Song after song of metallic wastelands, eventually opening up (Snow Covered Hills) into what’s almost a structured track, with a lilting, dreamlike synth riff. Ornamental Lake Of Death is closer to traditional Sunroof! glittery clatter, and then City’s Sirens Off is a very clear changeover to folky drone, and… oh, this is a split album, and not a collabo.

Still: it’s a release I adore.

As a celebration of a joint tour, the groups got together for this split release, with Sunroof! taking the first eight tracks, and VCO the rest. And whether purposefully or as a happy coincidence – given there are some stylistic crossovers – each band took a very specific version of their sound and went forth in full force.

For Sunroof!, as mentioned, that’s a highly crunchy, electronic version, beyond even the kind of processed noise additions they’ll often employ, and into straight digital. It’s not exactly aggressive, but as it starts, it’s not exactly blissed out, either. These tracks, despite their runtime, never wander – it’s a very direct set of songs, concluding with a one-two of something more gentle and something more (for Sunroof!) traditional.

VCO counter this with a very drone-heavy set, also choicefully using runtimes to not overstay their welcome. While I think this particular recording style isn’t ideal – you’re getting mainly a wash of percussion and mid / low-range guitar; string and flute freakouts on climactic twofer Spectre’s Honesty Tongue and Let A Thousand Flower Bloom can hardly be heard – I think it’s very effective for immersion, and the drumming’s aural highlight does help one to appreciate that aspect of their sound. The tracks also each have their own pace and mood. And again, if we consider this a purposeful comparison to Sunroof!, the approach makes sense.

So maybe not the exact collaboration I dreamed of, but maybe something ultimately a lot better?