WIDELY regarded as an outstanding band whilst often overshadowed by the part time vocations of several members; Australian psych five piece Pond have exerted themselves in recent years, producing several well honed records brimming with ingenuity. As previously alluded to; Pond have flown under the radar in comparison to friends and collaborators Tame Impala, whose endeavours of a similar vein have saw them catapulted into the mainstream consciousness.

However, this may all be set to change with the release of Man It Feels Like Space Again, an album on which their exuberant rock n roll has come into its own. Focusing upon psychedelic wizardry with forays into a myriad of genres such as funk, glam rock and pop; it is an incredibly accomplished record which not only cites their previously established sound but looks forward into a prosperous and as yet undetermined future.

With an intro that is indebted to their central influence’s 60’s and 70’s heyday,  ‘Waiting Around For Grace’ segues into a classic rock indebted riff that provides a firm structure over which the vocals and keys soar. The spiralling and complex keyboard solo which marks the track’s crescendo bears hallmarks of prog rock legend Jon Lord; whose experimentation with Hammond Organs defined the genre’s mesmerising displays of virtuosity.

‘Elvis Flaming Star‘ follows the previously established dynamic of repurposing genres from a bygone era and contextualising them amid a modern pysch anthem. With vocal work that wouldn’t be out of place on Bowie’s breakthrough ‘Hunky Dory’ LP and a funk ridden bassline, this succinct but memorable track could well be viewed as one of their undisputed masterpieces in years to come.

‘Holding Out For You’melds yearning and remorseful songwriting in the quintessential mould with disorienting and reverb laden instrumentation. It is without a doubt one of the most heartfelt sentiments which the Australian Outfit have ever communicated within a recording.

The 3rd single to be taken from the album in question, ‘Zond’ is  a sumptuous piece of glam pop that would elicit jealousy from the much maligned stalwarts of the sound’s late 70s incarnation; Nick Albrook’s distinctive croon provides a timeless feel to its pompously ethereal riff and nomadic synth refrain.

In terms of psychedelic density, the album’s 5^th track certainly finds itself providing the vastest quantity of disconcerting audio. Entitled ‘Heroic Shart’, it plunges its listener head on towards a wall of sound that enraptures the senses; building towards a ferocious, percussion led upsurge.

Whilst the album’s 9 songs tend to veer towards a more off kilter motif than the well trodden domain of cohorts Tame Impala, ‘Sitting Up On Our Crane’ finds itself aligned with Lonerism’s over arching vibe on account of the placid vocals and wallowing pace.

Restablishing the momentum following a brief interlude into more meandering territory is the brazen, groove based ‘Outside Is The Right Side.’ Drawing from the bombastic sound of Funkadelic’s magnum opus Maggot Brain whilst morphing and contorting its key elements into something fresh and untainted; this track sees Pond transcend their status as a modern rock band that pay homage to the intricacies of the previously established realm of psychedelia into fully fledged trailblazers.

Neatly moving from one conceptual idea  to the next with masterful ease; the album’s eponymous closing track demonstrates their proficiency as composers of neo-psychedelia who can embed enriching textures and ideals into their songs and LP’s with an aptitude that the majority of the current  crop of mind expanding and multi faceted bands can merely aspire to.

In summary,  whilst the psychotropic and wildly ambitious compositions which populate Pond’s latest outing may seem farfetched on paper; their ability to venture beyond what many would deem feasible and craft innovative and awe inspiring segments of music that encompass its listener is what makes this album such an absolute gem.