Five of the best acts at Liverpool Psych Fest

We selected a quintet of essential acts playing at Liverpool's annual showcase of face-melting psych this month.

Ben Smith

Last updated: 9th Sep 2016

Image: Liverpool Psych Fest

What with Manchester Psych fest and Cosmosis bringing mind bending music to one part of the North west, the Liverpool international festival of Psychedelia provides further festivities to suit the region's trippy tastes.

It returns for a fourth year from Friday 23rd - Saturday 24th September, following a victory at the 2015 NME awards where it was named the "Best Small Festival" - unsurprising given its vast line up that delves deep into all corners of the genre.

The city's Baltic Triangle plays host with three venues that represent Liverpool's industrial past and its innovative future, providing the perfect space for the psychedelic sonics. We scoured through the line up to bring our five must see acts.

The Wytches

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Spelt with a Y to make them more easy to find on Google, The Wytches have been making waves in the pysch scene since 2014. Tactical spelling errors aren't the only thing to make the band unmissable however; lead singer Kristian Bell's longing howls and evocative guitar work are more than enough to draw you in.

As a live outfit the group are frantic with long fringes an ever permanent curtain in front of their faces - this only adds to the intrigue. They released new E.P Home Recordings earlier this year while new track 'Hannover Square' (listen above) comes from their forthcoming album All Your Happy Life - which will doubtless get an airing during the band's Saturday slot.

Henry Lewis

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The Moonlandingz

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Semi-fictional psychopaths The Moonlandingz make the short journey from the Valhalla Dale suburb of Sheffield with one mission - to weird you the fuck out. Led by Johnny Rocket, the conceptual group are comprised between members of The Eccentronic Research Council and Fat White Family: The result - one hell of a fucking show.  

As visually stimulating as they are sonically, The Moonlandingz really are like no other. Sticking two fingers up to the modern music industry, prepare for just about anything in that quest. 

Ben Smith

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Super Furry Animals

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The Cardiff five piece are the absolute embodiment of psychedelia. It's been 20 years since their debut album skyrocketed listeners to a whole new world of mind expansion and the group have transcended musical normality ever since. Last year marked the end of a five year hiatus and Super Furrys lined up in lab coats once again.

Earlier this year came the release of 'Bing Bong', the group's first single in seven years. The track was dubbed Wales' unofficial Euro 2016 anthem and was accompanied by a typically trippy video (watch above). Expect this and more come the band's Friday night headline slot.

HL

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Methyl Ethel 

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Forget Kangaroos and didgeridoos, the Ozzie stereotype is fast becoming the land of mind-melting psych. Perth trio Methyl Ethel are the next to align with the bands like Tame Impala and Jagwar Ma - playing acid washed dream-pop that balances classic influence with the present. 

Slithering in-between the lines of lead Jake Webb's androgynous voice and heady grooves of stand-out track 'Twilight Driving' (above) is strongly advised when the festival arrives. 

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Cavern of Anti-Matter

Berlin based group Cavern of Anti-Matter was formed between Stereolab founder Tim Gane and fellow member Joe Dilworth. Completed by electro whizz Holger Zapf, the experimental trio combine to jam soundscapes that pull from krautrock to techno.

It was until this year that they released their debut record Void Beats/Invocation Trek - featuring a collaboration with Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox. Veering between motorik grooves and glitchy dance territories, the project scales Berlin's past to its present.   

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