On their third album, “T.R.I.P.S.,” Ancient Sky, from Brooklyn, ease the listener slowly into their psychedelic soundscapes, before skyrocketing into a wild, feedback-heavy freakout after almost four minutes on opener, “Towards the Light.” This is immediately followed by “Wooden Ear,” a sixtyish psych-rocker that wouldn’t be lost on a Motorpsycho album. The raw garage sound of the album suits the music just fine. The excessive use of delays and wah wah may not be to everyone’s taste, but Ancient Sky apply it to create a vibrant sound world. Thus, even a ballad of sorts like “Snow in the Cemetery” turns into a noisy din. The album’s titanic centerpiece, “All Colors at Once,” is over nine minutes long. It is a forceful trip, following in the footsteps of Eternal Tapestry. Naming a song after Ray Bradbury is proof of good taste, and the song bearing the writer’s moniker is another album highlight (I just hope the opening line “Jump off a cliff” is not directed at the author). “Oake Island” is a track of stunning beauty, slowly unfolding its spirals of melancholia.

by artistxite