July 18, 2001

Simian : Chemistry Is What We Are

Londoners' melodious, psychedelic debut

7 / 10 Fans of the Beach Boys' melodious sway - particularly the eerie 'Smiley Smile' -and psychedelic drugs must apply here. These are plainly the primary influences on Simian's debut album.

The result is as spookily delightful as that implies. There are also echoes in the musings of this London (via Manchester) four-piece of Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, modern electronica, choral folk, even dubby doodles. It makes for a sparkling, adventurous and mysterious trip - and a very creepy one, too.

When it works best it almost invents a new psychedelic language. On 'One Dimension' it fuses singer Simon Lord's plaintive, repetitive call of "I see the world in one dimension" to a rhythm that could grace an Aphex Twin tune, pianos, synths, melodicas and a melody that's prime Kinks. It is quite lovely.

Other highlights include the space blues of the single 'The Wisp', 'Doba''s chemical doo-wop and 'How Could I Be Right?''s totally unexpected acoustic grunge. Occasionally, things are a little contrived ('Three In The Corner'... er, psychedelic country?), but it's nothing that
The Beta Band haven't been forgiven for.

This is not a record born in
the anything like the right era.
It is neither old-fashioned nor ahead of its time. It comes through the looking glass from a distant galaxy. Seldom can a group have so accurately described themselves with an album title.

Ted Kessler