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Feel Good Psych For The Soul

Big Red Panda is a 6-piece Prog/Psych/Stoner Rock band, heralding from a small town in the north of Portugal. Grand Orbiter marks their second full album after the self-titled debut from 2014. What they have created however is perhaps the most feel good psychedelic album you’ll hear all year.

Grand Orbiter by Big Red Panda

How is the sound ?

This sounds how I imagine a hug from a big red panda would sound; it’s warm, excitable and inviting. Fuzz lovers have plenty to enjoy here as despite the sparse use of really fat distortion, when that fuzz pedal does kick in, it just hits even harder. The transition from opening track Departure into the groove heavy Milestone is one to send shivers down your spine.

There’s such an expansive scope of sound, from the high-end guitar and synth melodies down to THAT bass groove. When rhythm and tone find that perfect match, everything sings; and everything is singing here. Then as if all that wasn’t enough come track 5 (“Barefoot“), as if out of nowhere, you’re hit with the gravelly, distorted vocals of frontman Pedro Ferreira. It would have worked fine just as an instrumental, but those pandas are a generous bunch.

If there was one standout track it has to be “High Ride“. This earns its name and then some, with jubilant guitars rampaging on over a beat that you just can’t keep still to. Maybe it’s the artwork, but when I close my eyes during this album, I picture 6 pandas, floating through space, all playing their little instruments and just generally have a good time. Now if that doesn’t sound like a trip worth taking, I don’t know what does.

The more seasoned psych veterans among you may see the relatively short run times for each track and assume that it surely can’t go that deep, right? Wrong. This is an album designed to be enjoyed in all its glory, from “Departure” to “Arrival“. In that respect, its 30 minutes of pure psych bliss.

Why is this album worth listening ?

It has those moments where you cant help but stop and say “Man…that was cool.”

You’ll be playing it again and again. After getting to the end of my first run through, I went straight back for round 2.

That big fucking smile on your face.

In what situation you should listen to this album ?

Spark up, sit down, headphones in and zone out. Then immediately go show your friends.

Something particular to note ?

The album is streaming in full over on their Bandcamp page, so there is literally no reason not to check this out.