IN an era where many fans are jaded and resilient in the belief that they’ve ‘heard it all before’, it’s always a pleasure to encounter a band that doesn’t wish to merely emulate the bands that went before them but aim to push those sounds that they hold so dear into a previously unforeseen new path. Born and bred in Glasgow, the sound of Medicine Men is too often deemed to be an ode to the psychedelic sounds of a bygone period by the casual observer but there has always been a great deal more occurring if you’re willing to scratch under the surface. However, this limited view of the band’s objectives seems destined to shift as soon as their debut album Into The Light is finally delivered to the world in earnest.

Clearly out to prove themselves from the off, the fact that we’re in for something wholeheartedly unique is clear from the embryonic moments of ‘A La Llum’ as its meandering synths and engrossing beats serve as a highly effective opening gambit.

Following that enticing curveball, anyone that’s followed the band’s career for any discernible length of time is quickly thrust into familiar territory as ‘Show What You’re Made Of’ emerges from amid the haze like an old friend. A staple of their live sets and a track which has been crucial in establishing them as a band that weren’t willing to tow the party line and adhere to the tropes that a modern ‘hotly-tipped’ group must possess, its mix of boisterous, Stonesy riffs and punchy hooks attests to why its allure has never diminished as their career continues to progress.

Demonstrative of an admiration for the intergalactic funk of Parliament/Funkadelic in its engrossing basslines, ‘Golden Packets’ sees frontman Ian Mackinnon spin a yarn that all too many people would find familiar if they were to take a frank look at themselves in the mirror. Told over a bedrock of riveting psych-rock that operates in the same wheelhouse as groups such as Wooden Shjips and POND yet merged with the immediacy of less highfalutin bands, he speaks of the hapless individuals that follow the preconceived rock ‘n’ roll image to the letter and their closely held delusions that prevent them from realising that there is nothing unique or original about what they’re purporting themselves to be. In many ways a rallying cry against the prevailing emphasis on style over substance, the effectiveness of this message is aided by being enclosed within one of the most resolutely original tracks on the record.

After critiquing the convoluted personas of the poseurs, they swiftly head into more introspective and deeply poignant territory on the affecting ‘Eggshells.’ Armed with a chorus that would make many a band twice their stature convulse with envy, the tone is established from the first strains of touching guitar and is solidified by frontman Ian Mackinnon’s thoughtful ruminations on life, love and steely perseverance in the face of adversity. A soulful yet in no way restrained number in the mould of Moseley Shoals’ finest moments, it is a testament to their considerable songwriting ability and proves that they are just as comfortable pulling heartstrings as they are inciting a ruckus on the dance-floor.

One of the record’s more abstract compositions, ‘Bruised Peach’ is a decadent affair that lulls the listener in with the serenity of the verses before being brought to startling lucidity as its distortion-heavy chorus takes effect. Possessing a hallucinogenic quality that is furthered by the vivid imagery of the accompanying lyrics, its structure is intriguing in the sense that it captures the inviting glow of intoxication whilst also depicting the thudding blow of reality that emerges when the sun peers through the blinds and the mind-altering effects begin to subside.

A track that thoroughly impressed when it appeared on the flip side of 2016 single ‘In The Breeze’, ‘Sleeping With The Light On’ continues to shine due to its wahwah-laden guitar, immersive synths and the thunderous bassline that acts as the perfect adhesive for all of its twists and turns. Funky whilst simultaneously gritty in a manner that resembles mid 70’s staples such as Stretch, Cymande and Curtis Mayfield at his most self-assured, it not only demonstrates the diverse range of influences from which the band draw from but the admirable deftness with which they can utilise them when the time is right.

Woozy and awash with gripping interplay between guitar, organ and synth, ‘Realise Forget’ continues to expand upon the album’s run of form while ‘Ceiling To Floor’ sees the band deliver their own take on a traditional love song that billows with both warmth and genuine affection.

A song that was undoubtedly not easy to write or record, ‘The Balcony’ is a heartfelt tribute from a son to his late father and acts as the emotional centerpiece of the entire album. Sure to resonate with anyone that’s ever had to endure the bitter, almost debilitating sting that is the loss of a loved one, the track is a candid and deeply intimate portrait of one of the most sacred relationships that we have and is fraught with poetic tenderness amid the euphoric instrumentation.

Not content to leave listeners in a reflective malaise, the curtain is brought down on Medicine Men’s debut album with the pulsating sound of ‘Out Of The Light.‘ A fitting closer for an album that has traversed all over the musical spectrum, this exhilarating track basks in the waters of modern psychedelia that are inhabited by The Horrors and Unknown Mortal Orchestra whilst infusing influences from the likes of experimental pioneers Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream. Built around a succession of thrilling synths and complete with a sly nod to Ian’s dabblings with electro-rock outfit Crash Club, this is post punk reconfigured to their own specifications and is a triumphant climax to the record.

An album that surpasses expectations and epitomises the undiluted creativity that resides at their core, Into The Light is the auditory equivalent of a flag planted defiantly in the unbroken ground and signifies that Medicine Men have arrived in their most unmissable form to date.

Stream the album in full below: