There are few bands as exciting these days as W. H. Lung who have transformed themselves from an interesting indie-dance-psych type band into something of a behemoth (at least to those in the know). Refining their sound into a glorious cavalcade of sub-New Order anthems, MBV shoegaze and the clatter of garage rock, the parts coalesce into a stunning hybrid which simply elevates you to psych dance manna.
Like a gloriously dark disco ball of noise, new album Every Inch Of Earth Pulsates takes up the mantle of their excellent live shows and transforms it into the studio. This makes it their most satisfyingly complete album to date, with a sound which is simply majestic. Exuding a confidence which feeds from the relative newness of the band, they are slowly reaching an apogee. It only take until around the closing minute of ‘Lilac Sky’ to make you realise that we are listening to something special as the synths soar high above your head.
Driving riffs take ‘Bliss Bliss’ into undiscovered Krautrock territory, a blissed out (for want of a better term!) anthem searching for a new zeitgeist. With a chorus which absolutely hits you right in the feels before sinking back into the repetitive riff, you really do have to question why this band are not massive. In another time they would be headlining arenas by now.
Imagine hitting the peak of a wave as a surfer and remaining there through all its undulations. That is the sound of W. H. Lung in full throttle. Hedonistic, yet fully in control of itself, they can switch from glorious psych-dance to driving rock at times within the same song. It’s when they stretch themselves out that it becomes really exciting though, such as on the heavy virtuosity of ‘How To Walk’ which sounds nothing short of thrilling. Mixing this with the playground psych of ‘Flowers In The Rain’ provides an album which never settles into one groove. Each song is a minor psych symphony.
It’s how “alive” with the music they sound that elevates this album into potential album of the year territory. The assuredness will allow them to take to the stages full of confidence that in this set of songs they have some of their best work to date. As the elegiac opening of ‘I Will Set Fire To The House’ leads us out on a last chance psych out, lets hope that W. H. Lung finally set fire to the masses hearts. They deserve it on this showing.
