Slacker rock by overachievers. You'd be hard pressed to find a better group of technical musicians in the Oakland underground. Quirky offbeat humor, ambitious arrangements and effortlessly intricate performances give Cyan Pools a vibe you can't quite put your finger on or immediately identify, yet still bob your head to. They exist outside the box. Band room non-conformists blissfully unbothered by trend or zeitgeist, Cyan Pools exist in their own world for their own entertainment. Harnessing the off-the-cuff psychedelia of Syd Berrett and Alex Chilton through a 90's alt rock fuzz with smart kid rhythms.
"Ecstatic Visions" is equal parts early REM, Elephant Six Collective and Pavement. It’s a smattering of influences thrown against the wall, bleeding together and complimenting each other as they drip down. Opening track ‘Keratin Sheath’ is a driving punk song about singer Kelley’s attacking pet bird. ‘Go To Heaven’ is a defiant yet bouncing anthem (the album’s title is tucked into the first verse) about defying the detractors who play it safe. ‘Where Are My Memories’ is a reflective, almost blue-eyed soul song about one’s thoughts literally floating away and hiding.
Cyan Pools never stop exploring and pushing. For a group who loves the Beach Boys and much as Black Flag, there is so much room in the in-between to connect the dots and find new forms from old structures. Almost as if in a mind-altering dream space, With ‘Ecstatic Visions’ Cyan Pools want to take you to an unfamiliar place, that you’ll ultimately revel in.
Tracks 1,3,4,5,6 recorded and mixed by Chris Daddio at Donut Time Audio, Oakland, CA
Tracks 2,7,8,9 recorded and mixed by Bart Thurber at House of Faith Recording, Oakland, CA
Mastered by Geoff Saba at Itinerant Home, Oakland, CA
Photos by Melati Citrawireja
Design by Corey Poluk
