You can be forgiven for missing the self-titled debut release of New York’s Blac Rabbit. The six-song record came out at the very end of 2017, and it was the exact psychedelic dream that we needed to start 2018 off right.
Truth be told, I only heard of Blac Rabbit after seeing a Facebook video of two band members nailing a Beatles cover in a subway (it’s crazy good and you should watch it here).
The band lists everyone from The Beatles to Tame Impala as influences, and you definitely feel that across the entire record. The hazy guitar riffs and rumbling bass are steadfast throughout the EP, and the echoey vocals whisk you from one song to another.
You’ll get caught up in opener “All Good,” which grows in urgency as the guitars take a dizzying turn. “Over the Rainbow” takes on a bit more of a funk angle, while maintaining the band’s surf-meets-psychedelic vibe.
“Mindspace” is one of my favourite tracks, leaning hard on the band’s psych tendencies, while “Closer to the Sun” pulls inspiration from Tame Impala to double down on the reverby, echoey vocals. This track is definitely one that sets Blac Rabbit apart from its competition. It speeds up and slows down in all the right places, and treads the fine line between stripped-down-and-raw and all-the-bells-and-whistles.
There are amazing things on the horizon for Blac Rabbit, and we can’t wait to see what they do in the wake of this solid debut.
Get more Blac Rabbit on the web.