Battlehooch, Art Nickel

San Francisco’s Battlehooch defies the calculus of sound. By cross-pollinating elements of psychedelia with modern pop, the six-piece has given birth to a mutant strain of kaleidoscopic rock & roll. Hot on the heels of 2013’s “Hot Lungs” LP comes their new EP, “Wink,” to be released on October 22. “Wink” contributes to the current revival of psychedelic indie pop (i.e. Tame Impala, Thee Oh Sees, Foxygen, etc.) while also paying homage to the great tripped-out albums of the past (think Syd Barrett, Lee “Scratch” Perry and Os Mutantes). “Wink” is awash in vivid sounds and sumptuous textures, but never at the expense of the songwriting. Instead, the myriad aural colors serve to enrich the harmonic and melodic details of the compositions. The resulting batch of songs is immediately inviting and pleasing, while still managing to take the listener in exciting and unexpected new directions. Battlehooch will be returning to the road to support Wink in early 2015 with dates on both the east and west coasts.