Pond - Stung!

The sun-baked, psychedelic carnival that is Pond clearly shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. Opener ‘Constant Picnic’ meanders towards the ethereal with a surreal, synth-disco-pop ballad that’s an ideal summer soundtrack, while their signature colossal, kaleidoscopic riffs are showcased in ‘(I’m) Stung’ and ‘Neon River’. The band’s psych is intertwined with space rock for ‘Edge of the World Pt.3’, its cinematic sorcery at points veering towards acid-jazz. There are floating flutes, and some heady, almost droney synths that would fit right in on Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve’s work, while moments of mammoth cosmic-psych invoke their best pal Kevin Parker. It’s not all psychedelia though; Pond also channel their inner George Clinton, along with a Prince-esque falsetto on ‘So Lo’, bringing the party with some heady, groove-laden space funk. Clocking in at 14 tracks, the Perth outfit here manage to blend evolution within their artistry, while still keeping in touch with their otherworldly roots.