Psychic Shakes is the solo project of Southampton-based Max McLellan, who produces a hypnotic and funky sound featuring suave vocals, melodic guitar twangs, and “shimmering 7th chords” — all in a quest to create the perfect sound track for a “post-coital cigarette at three in the morning.” It’s mission success on new track “Wasting Time”, which resembles a more laid-back Wild Nothing in the subdued shimmering post-punk approach. The verses float along in the twilight of each guitar twang, shifting to the chorus with a chugging infectiousness at 01:19.
“I don’t wanna make you cry, I just want to make you smile,” McLellan sings here, effectively capturing the feelings of being “overwhelmed from the everyday responsibilities of life, not having enough time, and a general fear of growing older too quickly — all the while, maintaining a sense of optimism about the future for what it is.” It’s a melodically striking and lyrically relatable effort that makes me excited for future efforts from Psychic Shakes, who already impressed earlier this year with the Psychic EP.
