WYTCH PYCKNYCK TO RELEASE DEBUT SELF-TITLED ALBUM ON JUNE 21ST VIA PROPERTY OF THE LOST RECORDS

2nd May 2024 0 By Jon Deaux

Hailing from Hastings, Wytch Pycknyck started as the brainchild of old childhood buddies Malt Jones and Bonj, and they were quick off the blocks, playing dates in the UK and Festivals in Europe, honing their garage psychedelic fuzz to realization. After some lockdown separations, they were re-born with drummer Sam Davies and guitarist/synth guru Ewan Fitzgerald who was needing a new home after the demise of his former band Butane Regulators.

Blending 70s and 90s guitars into a fierce lo-fi stoner, psychedelic, garage rock brawl, last September the band issued the stomping fuzz attack of single ‘Columbo No.5’ to give the wider world a hint of the sonic barrage to come, before heading to the infamous Tunbridge Wells Forum studios to start work on their debut album.

As with recording a debut album perhaps the idea of nailing it in five days (!) may have been optimistic, but with the tracks recorded and the studio engineer committed to other work for the rest of the year, the band was left scratching their heads. They knew a local beekeeper who was the mother of a producer, raised on metal but recently had engineering credits with artists such as Stefflon Don, Stormzy & Skepta…. perfect.

A call was made, and Jake Jones delivered! With the album now complete, Wytch Pycknyck is ready to stomp out of the starting blocks with a new single and album opening track ‘Rawkuss’. Statements of intent don’t come more perfect than this. Loud, abrasive, and jarring, ‘Rawkuss’ is a cacophonous and bewildering sonic attack that simultaneously warps your mind and kicks your arse.

“Who wouldn’t wanna party with the animals that live in the zoo?” bellows Malt Jones at the start of the track, intriguing the listener from the very start. Fuck yes, we want to party with the animals in the zoo if this is the soundtrack!

“Something wild, strong and traditional about a group of repressed, incarcerated and badly treated individuals managing to rally themselves together, against the man, to throw a party. 100% pure defiance, like the Blitz, or Jailhouse Rock, or the Breakfast Club,” states Malt by way of explanation.

Wytch Pycknyck is LOUD yet maintains a trashy garage feel. The album may only be seven songs long, but the band traverses many different moods and styles in that time. Two and half minute thrash-outs sit shoulder to shoulder with nine-minute psych monsters AND it all makes sense.

Off the blocks with ‘Rawkuss’ and ending with ‘Frostbite’, a spoken word/rap intro metamorphosis into a space rock psychedelic wig out with bassist Ewan Fitzgerald’s passion for analog synths coming to the fore. Sometimes the guitars shred and sometimes the bass takes pole position, either way, prepare to have your head lifted off by Wytch Pycknyck’s juggernaut journey of Motorhead meets Butthole Surfers meets Sonic Youth pop-noise, all delivered with an AC/DC stomp.

Cover illustrated by Oakland-based trash horror legend that is SKINNER. 50 signed Double Crown posters available on pre-order bundles. FIRST 300 Pressed on translucent green vinyl.

Pre-order the album HERE: