Formed in Warsaw in 2012, Polish psych rockers Weedpecker finally get my attention with V, their fifth album. Over the years the band have received critical acclaim for their fusion of expansive soundscapes of psychedelic rock and the raw fuzz of stoner/grunge rock. Now signed up to a worldwide deal with Heavy Psych Sounds this new album will surely have (more) fans in a frenzy as the band fully flex their melodic muscle. Utilising multiple studios across many months, the five-piece consisting of Piotr Dobry (guitars/vocals/synths), Zbigniew Promiński (drums), Piotr Kuks (bass), Piotr Sadza (synths) and Tomasz Walczak (synths) create an extraordinary sound that instantly stroked my senses.
The self-explanatory ‘Intro’ takes me back to ‘1984’ by Van Halen or the work of Jean-Michel Jarre with stunning synths. ‘Fading Whispers’ rolls in with some beautiful guitar tones and Piotr’s dreamy vocals tread the same floaty clouds as Kevin Parker from Tame Impala. The widescreen atmospherics recall the hallucinatory feels of Spiritualized, with a little more bite. When the track swerves off road into heavier psych/prog rock terrain you’ll barely notice save for your bobbing head.
‘Ash’ soars with beautiful arcs of melodic guitars and a plethora of heavenly atmospherics before descending into a chunky sludge of churning riffs as Piotr channels the soaring shamanic rasp of Perry Farrell. Production-wise, the sound is perfection as guitars layer and stack to present the listener with a wall of very satisfying swirls and patterns. ‘In the Dark we Shine’ opts for a lazy jazzy flow as clean guitar chords chop into the twinkling synths. The bumpy bass driven groove that ‘Mirrors’ writhes over is layered deep with all sorts of sounds as a spidery guitars and flutes weave a thick web encompassing you. ‘The Last Summer of Youth’ ends the album with full-on epic grandeur as lush synths cradle sweet guitars and sitars, conjuring up images of sunny climes and beautiful days. You want to live in this utopia. As the song pushes and pulls there’s some stunning intricate keyboards bubbling up bringing colour and incredible depth. Stretching out the wall of sound the guitars are just sumptuous and sweep you away.
The album has a perfect length, never outstays its welcome and every track has a wonderful concise dynamic flow ensuring you don’t get too lost in the hypnotic grooves and soundscapes. As 2026 gets off to a truly abysmal start with world events, Weedpecker have arrived with a glorious and beautiful album to ease any troubled minds.
