A recent resurgence of psychedelic music has led to the success of bands in a rising neo-psychedelica genre. One of these is rock band Temples, which hails from Kettering, England. Temples formed in 2012 as a home studio project. However, the band’s music grabbed the attention of Heavenly Recordings, which then helped it release singles in 2012 and 2013. The band’s founder James Bagshaw remarked on how Heavenly Recordings allowed the band to continue making music normally, instead of in a studio. This allowed the band to continue recording music that more truly reflects it, not a record label.
“Sun Structures,” Temples’ 2014 debut album, was met with both critical and commercial success, scoring a 70/100 on Metacritic, which gathers a meta review based on several critic outlets. The song “Keep In The Dark” boldly claims the band’s music will never grow stale or uninteresting. “Test of Time” deeply contemplates the obsession of standing the test of time, and wonders whether it’s so important, as nothing truly lasts forever. “The Golden Throne” stresses the importance of being open to communicating and understanding each other in an increasingly isolated and introverted world.
“Volcano,” Temples’ 2017 album just released about a month ago, was widely anticipated and successful. It scored a 71/100 on Metacritic, with slight critical improvement from the debut album. Like fellow psychedelic band Tame Impala, the band’s more recent album shifted from rock to a more pop-oriented sound. “Strange Or Be Forgotten” questions whether society’s mad dash towards individualism, non-conformity and leaving a legacy causes a newer sense of conformity. “(I Wanna Be) Your Mirror” suggests that caring about how others perceive you is a misguided concern. Finally, “Open Air” pays homage to living an adventurous and fruitful life, enjoying every moment you can. With far more diversified sounds and deeper messages, “Volcanoes” is my preferred Temples album.
Temples proves to be a fresh and vital force in the neo-psychedelica genre. The band’s spaced out rhythms have made them both commercially and critically successful. Look for Temples to release other great albums in the future.
