Lilacs & Champagne are an interesting experimental psychedelic rock band from Portland, Oregon. They have released three full-length albums so far and an EP, and while all of them are pretty interesting and pack some really fine psychedelia mixed with electronic music and even instrumental hip-hop influences, then their best album do date is perhaps their EP titled ''Midnight Features (Vol.1: Shower Scene)''. What is great about this band in general is of course the aforementioned mixing of various genres, due to which the music of this band is rather original.
The first track on this EP is titled ''Shower Scene'', and it packs some fine slow and catchy psychedelic rock basslines, along with some mellow mesmerizing repetitive drumming which works well together with some meandering electronic music sections along the track. The second track follows a pretty similar pattern, and again puts forth a rather dreamy psych atmosphere, which has some instrumental hip-hop, trip-hop and even jazz influences to it. The track also boasts some pretty fine psych rock guitars as well. The third track ''The Door'' again packs a variety of genres, and works like a soundtrack to a horror film, which is a common theme for this band altogether. In a sense this track works like an intro to a 70s style horror film murder scene, while the following tracks are the sounds accompanying the said murder. ''Sensations (Corpse On The Beach Version)'' packs some fine fast paced psych rock basslines in a rather progressive key, while also offering some fine noisy psych or even noise rock guitars, along with some progressive jazz piano sounds. The following track works like a more darker interlude track towards the fine penultimate track ''Cinemaxx'', which again offers some progressive psych sounds and a rather transcendental 70s horror film vibe.
All in all this album is a pretty awesome and a very diverse one, offering a mixture of psych rock, progessive rock, insturmental hip-hop and a thoroughly fascinating 70s horror film feel. It is definitely worth checking out for anyone, who is looking for some more experimental psych and is tired of all those boring jam bands. This band packs some truly unique and fascinating sounds.
Some related links:
Bandcamp - https://lilacschampagne.bandcamp.com/album/midnight-features-vol-1-shower-scene
Discogs - https://www.discogs.com/artist/2603082-Lilacs-amp-Champagne
