On experiencing ‘It’s time to hear’ for the first time, the warm embrace of it’s sweeping grandeur and haunting imagery had me gladly and willingly sealing my “Faustian Pact” with Sonic Jesus.

‘Out To Sea’ is the latest Long Player from Northern Californian “Dome Rockers” Carlton Melton.

As a seasoned campaigner, who only really discovered this latest (r)evolution in the broad church of “psychedelic rock” in late 2013, one of the particular joys of this renewed late blossoming, lies in the discovery of bands like Carlton Melton.

They appeared on my radar in February this year with the Creepy Crawl release of the split 12″ blue vinyl with Kandodo 3.

As much as anything, that release registered with me for the use of a movie still from cult classic ‘Rollerball’ on the record sleeve – the first movie I ever saw at the cinema rebelliously under age, an unforgotten guilty pleasure.

Day 2, (see Day 1 here), of Eindhoven Psych Lab commenced with a leisurely breakfast, fit for a king, courtesy of the Hampshire Hotel – Crown Eindhoven. Offered as part of a combined early booking event ticket, it epitomises the organisers’ flawless attention to detail. This is the second year I have had the pleasure of staying in this most comfortable four star accommodation, almost literally a stone’s throw from the Effenaar venue.

By the start of proceedings on the Saturday afternoon, the temperature had dropped around 13 degrees on the previous day. This made for a welcome mellowing of pace, particularly following the previous evening’s aural onslaught – yielding endless opportunities to shoot the breeze with all and sundry fellow miscreants, you know who you all are… x

“psyche/ˈsʌɪki/via Latin from Greek psukhē ‘breath, life, soul”…

As the fundamental factors for any psychedelic experience are defined by set, setting and dosage – the anticipation enveloping this sophomore, 2015mg Effenaar event, was tangibly palpable.

“The nature of the experience depends almost entirely on set and setting. Set denotes the preparation of the individual, including his personality structure and his mood at the time. Setting is physical — the weather, the room’s atmosphere; social — feelings of persons present towards one another; and cultural — prevailing views as to what is real”. – Timothy Leary.

Photograph by Arthur Weed

Future were one of the many bands on ‘The Reverb Conspiracy Vol. 3‘ that captivated and left me wanting to hear more. Their track ‘Side Effects’, I described as, “an exquisite existential exercise in “sharp guitar riffs, cold melodies and fractured drums”” – as befits their “Cold Wave” self-classification.