Opinion
25 Jan 23

Album Review: Meltybrains?, You

Psych-rockers return with warped autotune and heaps of surrealism.

Irish crew Meltybrains?’ long-awaited album, You, takes listeners on a whirlwind jaunt around the cosmos. Years in the making, the LP is about a journey of five men trying to get from one end of their twenties to the other. It’s a real trip. Incorporating sci-fi influences and otherworldly electronics, the project was written in bursts, with voice memos, mantras and psychedelic soundscapes all featuring on a hectic musical odyssey.

The classically trained musicians have their own unique niche, as evidenced by complex, enthralling soundscapes like ‘Space Ghetto’ and ‘A Journey To/From The Meltyworld’. ‘I Haven’t Got A Clue’ opens with down-tempo synths flowing beneath warped vocals, before ambient electronics add intriguing textures. ‘Worth’ adds more depth to the storyline, with the pounding drums making for a genuinely intense rock experience.

There are moments where the music feels convoluted and even jarring but that’s partially the intention, as Meltybrains? look to illustrate the rollercoaster of emotions that is a person’s turbulent twenties. Fascinating stuff.

Listen: ‘A Journey To/From The Meltyworld’
Score: 6.5

Out now via Strange Brew. Read our new interview with the band here.