Studies have shown that rock music affects psychological tension, albeit not always for the better, with one study showing it can increase hostility, sadness, tension, and fatigue. That study didn't use Mind Party by Myopia in its trials. This new album from the English upstarts utilises rock music's oscillating rhythms and propensity towards the negative to create something oddly uplifting. Perhaps this wasn't unintentional. "We're all in love with f*cking mad songs, the types that make us go insane. Can I give you some of your madness, can I give you some of my pain?" sings lead singer Oliie Edgington on "Mad Songs", which delivers head-banging rock simplicity in the form of meaty and rudimentary riffs-a cathartic release.
Nestled away in their home studio in Essex studio for the last four years, Edgington and Elliot Hawkins have been cooking. The duo channels Muse, and Radiohead to create something surprisingly fresh and ambitious. Mind Party is marked by a youthful passion. The duo, composed of Edgington and drummer Elliott Hawkins, formed back in 2017 when Edgington was just 15. Most of the songs on this album seem to be propelled sheerly by testosterone and passion. For example, "Angel System" has a poppy and anthemic start, but kicks into overdrive with a cacophonous emo-laden rock. Another such instance of explosive dynamic energy is the album's potential highlight, "Gamophobia", a space-metal sleight of hand, the kind of song that does a lot with a little. Other fares have softer edges and put melody as paramount, "Hibiscus" is emotionally touching and memorable, and "At the Mercy of the Universe" weaves in and out of piano balladry and ambient progressive rock territory.
Other thrilling moments include the seven-minute "Luck", with its myriad twists and turns encompassing pop, southern rock, metal riffing and shredding psychedelic solos. Meanwhile, other songs play more with a haunted-disco vibe ("What Are We", "My Human") to mixed effect. These cuts feel excessive on an album that runs for over an hour.
A stricter editorial hand might have made this album more digestible for the curious ear that catches it. Some tracks water down the highly concentrated gems that Myopia has put together. Ultimately, Mind Party is a high-octane delivery of fleshed-out songs based around groove-inducing rock music and youthful expressions of love, aggression, and social anxiety, all served on a plate of blissed-out pop rock euphoria.
★★★★