Temples' debut record, Sun Structures, presented the band as time-travellers with their pitch-perfect, late 1960s psychedelia. On their sophomore album, Temples trade in time travel for space travel, as the guitar riffs and grooves are replaced with pulsating synth and drum beats. Fans of the first record might miss that '60s tone at first, but repeat listens reveal the Temples we know and love.
Volcano breaks away from that first record almost immediately with "Certainty," a song that opens with drums and a low, electric pulse that starts the dystopic groove before giving way to a magical synth lead that's as jaunty as it is whimsical. James Bagshaw's hypnotic, Bolan-esque vocals — which have only gotten better since the last record — remain a focal point, soaring over Volcano's churning, electric sound.
What I love about Volcano is how Temples explore the sounds and ideas behind "psychedelia," from the speedy, glam rock tune "I Wanna Be Your Mirror" to the more subdued "How Would You Like To Go," borrowing from more contemporary psych acts like MGMT, Washed Out, Tame Impala and UMO. It would have been really easy for Temples to pump out Sun Structures 2.0, but they took a chance, and the result is some really exciting rock'n'roll.
