More about: Pond

Pond, Perth’s resident psychedelic rockers, are back with new album 9. A band with an impressive cult following garnered through producing consistently quality records and shrugging off any Kevin-Parker-isms, the group continue their reign on this latest effort. 

9 is a truly intriguing listen: here, Pond have adopted the recording style of post-rock progressives Can, recording a series of jams to tape and then splicing them together...like Bowie cutting and sticking literature, but with slices of psychedelic noise. 

'Song for Agnes' is an impressive opener and Pond set their stalls out from the get-go—they’re not fucking around here. Huge industrial drums, which evoke the weirder elements of 'Low' are paired with wailing keys and distorted fuzz.

'Human Touch' is another stellar cut from 9: like a panic attack in a lift, it’s claustrophobic and unpredictable with hyper-pop energy and New Order execution. Pond are able to pair extracts of songs that shouldn’t really work together but do, like on 'America’s Cup', which sounds like 'Plastic Beach' by Gorillaz and 'Take Me Avalon I’m Young', which is moody and stunning. Echoes of The xx’s work is notable throughout, as well as bombastic drums and brass. Pond have cut together an album of unbelievably catchy tracks that challenge your expectations and are a genuine pleasure to hear, as they twist and turn through influences and sounds. 

'Rambo' is probably the strongest cut on 9, with Bloc Party-sounding verses and a chorus that could be straight from Queen’s Hot Space. You can never put your finger on what Pond are going to do next, which makes 9 a brilliant listen. A wondrous listen, Pond are a charming and talented band: both attributes that come in spades on 9. 

9 is out now.

More about: Pond