!mindparade

!mindparade is a pysche-pop outfit from Bloomington, Indiana, and this is their latest single Somehow (Part I & II), and it is a right little mindfuck. These guys' debut album Everything Is Happening gained a lot of praise from all over the internet and from those who braved checking it out. Many tried to describe the sound of !mindparade but the best they could do was just string random images together and hope it stuck. This band is ambitious beyond belief, and deliver some pretty spectacular material as a result. If I had to add to the list of descriptions, I would just say that my brain hurts.

Somehow Pt. 1 is a psychedelic soundscape containing all kinds of whoops and whurrs and vocals so heavily tied down with effects that it could make Tame Impala seem like watching paint dry. This introductory part of the song is a very chilled, atmospheric listen with varying levels of catchiness thrown in to keep things moving as jagged as possible, while the other levels just make sure to maintain just how freaking weird it sounds. It's awesome.

Part 2 dives straight into the hip-hop side of things as a steady drumbeat and bassline are added to properly distinguish the two parts well, and it really does come off well. The subtle additions of percussion in the background during the verses adds an extra texture to this already well layered track, and well, it's just incredible.

This is truly something original, and !mindparade seem to perform it as if it's completely normal. I think this is the definition of Exploding Head Syndrome, and it feels good. Check out the song below, as well as the debut album, and then let us know how you're feeling via our Facebook and Twitter pages. - Exploding Head Syndrome

"I could begin to describe !mindparade – but then, it’d be a bit like pinning down mercury, or painting a sunset, or relating the patterns in a kaleidoscope to a blind man. Everything is Happening, their last LP, is a tilted world of dripping color, a pendulum that swings in uneven strokes between raw and loopy. Tracks race between dimensions, between dreams, burbling and sparkling and crackling. Just listen to “Time”, and try to figure out the genre – maybe a lost Motown soul crusher, that’s been warped over the years and squeezed through a psychedelic speaker? Compare with “Why”, a staggering blast of saxes and cascading flutes that hint at something monumental. If you really wanna jam someone’s radar, though, broadcast “It Is Strange…” into airspace, and watch pilots careen off course as white noise ambushes their ears. For a similar shake-up experience on the dance floor, pipe “Age of the Disconnected Man” into the speakers. Fun times should follow.

Should I draw some comparisons? MGMT comes to mind, particularly on “Gravitation” and “Better” – but then, !mindparade excel past that (especially on the latter – OH MY LORD THAT CHORUS), and it’s really beyond my power to say where else this cosmic power draws influence from, if not from their own divine meditations.

ll I know is, !mindparade are a rare entity, and my ears and eyes are riveted. A few months ago, GoldFlakePaint unveiled Somehow (Parts I & II) – and UHHHHHHH. Let’s say this – Moody Blues + hip-hop. Hypnotizing. The groove slips into your head and pleads for infinity. A mystery floats in the chorus, a mystery that lingers after every listen. I’m dumb with awe and wonder. This is a single to get excited about. The next !mindparade album will pierce the stratosphere. - Soundscape Memoirs

"!mindparade had a fast paced, fun, and exciting sound... imitating Jimi Hendrix had he played with The Flaming Lips on ketamine.. Overall, !mindparade played well and with passion." - WIUX Radio Blog

Bloomington’s !mindparade follow up their ’11 EP with their full-length, Everything Is Happening, an eclectic mix of rock that dips into some art, and slight proggy, pop waters. Initially started as a bedroom solo project, !mindparade has grown into an 8 piece ‘electro-acoustic orchestra’ umbrella to cover their mission. The hopped up pop of Intro/Arrange Blood may seem like a red herring once you get into Everything Is Happening, but underneath the rush, !mindparade are dropping signposts of where they intend to go. Gravitation leads into a set of lush and fluid art-pop that includes sister cuts Time and OK, easily taking as many cues from pop-leaning prog as much as more straight-ahead material. Gonna Be heads back to more rock territory for an energetic run that languidly dissipates back out for a return to the more art-pop shores of Why and It Is Strange…It’s a loose pattern that Everything is Happening lays out, a snapping ebb and flow between smart pop and more esoteric embellishments that don’t lose their grip, or way, waffling between the two. With all that, and forays into electro-pop like Rogue Hydra or the horn suffused Supercomputer Predicts Revolution, !mindparade cast a wide net that doesn’t fray into a mindless catch-all. - Sunrise Ocean Bender

!mindparade was initially the bedroom project of Bloomington, Indiana-based Alex Arnold, who wrote his songs with the intention to form a full band when the opportunity arose. Now an eclectic eight-piece specializing in everything from synths to bass, !mindparade has turned Arnold’s sketches into a wonderfully creative psych-rock album, Everything Is Happening. !mindparade’s ability is on full display with “Gravitation”, a track incredibly easy to get lost in. At the end of each verse, when Arnold’s voice resembles a tranquil hush, flurries of warm synths invade the entire mix and add considerably to the stunning atmosphere. The chorus reveals itself as a rocker of the ’90s alt-rock variety, a surprising though wholly effective transition from the lovely psych-rock initially portrayed. It’s one example of Arnold’s enjoyably eclectic songwriting.

Though “Gravitation” is my personal favorite for its sheer atmosphere, Everything Is Happening has plenty of interesting tracks. “Arrange Blood” is heavy on the brass; spontaneous bursts begin to resemble a marching orchestra. The swelling chorus reaches a grandiose sound that resembles Florence & the Machine’s most psychedelic instrumentation. It’s a surprisingly arena-ready sound for a group that uses many lovable DIY tendencies. Another highlight, “Gonna Be“, features a tight rhythmic sound inspired by post-punk, and the experimental avant-garde fusions of Can. Post-punk conciseness evolves into a distortion-friendly vein of rock ‘n’ roll that hearkens back to T. Rex and Bowie. It’s another piece of nostalgic goodness, yet led by a contemporary edge. I love “OK” as well, which mixes a tropical acoustic lull with ascending violins. The woodwind-accompanied second half is what dreams are made out of. !mindparade reminds me of some favorite finds — Fly Golden Eagle and Quichenight, two other groups who were able to masterfully juggle nostalgia with innovation. - Obscure Sound

!mindparade's debut album Everything is Happening is an ambitious low-fi bedroom symphony marked by flourishing psychedelic arrangements and dreamy tunes that recall everything from Deerhunter to T. Rex to the Elephant 6 Collective. The Bloomington-based 8-piece band, led by singer-songwriter Alex Arnold, follow up on the promise of their first release, (everything ep), and deliver an enjoyable scattershot of songs that provide a terrific introduction to one of Bloomington's most exciting new bands.

The album begins with the sound of a yelping dog ("Intro") and storms right into a swinging synth-rock, horn-heavy tune ("Arrange Blood") before slowing down for the moody "Gravitation", a song that seems to channel the better parts of MGMT's Congratulations. The album really hits its stride though with the pairing of "Time" and "OK" -- the two strongest tracks on the album. The former is a well executed piece of glam rock bliss, while the latter is a sprawling epic that showcases everything !mindparade do best -- murky vocals, distorted guitar hooks, and graceful string arrangements.

The rest of the album continues this haphazard genre exploration with Stooges-esque garage rock ("Gonna Be"), a dark folk tune that manages to turn into a prog song ("It Is Strange") and even an industrial metal song that morphs into an airy disco jam ("The Age of the Connected Man"). Overall though, despite its lack of coherence, Everything Is Happening shows an ambitious band with a vast sonic palette and a bright future. - NUVO Alternative

The creations that escape the mind of Bloomington, IN based musician Alex Arnold are far from vintage psych duplicates. After growing up on a steady selection of earlier prog greats such as Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd and Yes, and venturing into personal appreciation for modern/post-modern classical composers like Debussy, along with avant-garde jazz greats such as Ornette Coleman, one becomes curious imagining the sonic complexities that formulate from such eclectic tastes. Following his experiments with musical computer manipulation techniques in his teens, Alex went on to study music theory and earn a B.A. in Music Composition, focusing on avante-garde composition techniques, electronic music, and orchestral writing. After listening to his newest album Dead Mystics (which was released last month) from his aptly named experimental project !mindparade, the feeling that I’ve been given a peek into the thoughts of a mad genius cannot be denied. No re-hash here.

“I wanted to express that you can embrace beliefs and ideas without being a slave to them. You can balance your own inner truth with the great philosophies and systems of the past. They don’t have to be mutually exclusive” Arnold shares. The opener “See You” dives headfirst into this wisdom, with the dogma shattering insights “Saw right through it, poison apple” and “Up against the wall, it’s you who chooses”. The song builds off of a tight smattering of drums and a thunderous riff, yet maintains an ethereal downtempo delivery with an array of synths and effects that lightly tug you into the ether. It’s clear that composition is important to Alex, each layer intentionally placed to reflect off of it’s surroundings.
Another standout is “Somehow Part I & II”, the longest take on Dead Mystics. The track serenades you into a syrupy, codeine dreamland, sweetly progressing into a cloudy groove that features a rap by fellow Bloomington creative Beverly Bounce House. There is an element of surprise weaved into the identity of the album; around every corner a glitching vocal take, shooting lazer, or seamless transition in mood to keep your listening mind actively engaged in it’s reverie. “The Coming Home” is sure to please fans of celebratory baroque/experimental pop such as Of Montreal and Yeasayer. Featuring subtle drone escapes, a yearning bluesy guitar and a frolicking flute, the lyrics “Guess I must be coming home” retell the journey of Arnold’s forming of !mindparade.

In the early days, !mindparade served as a solo venture while Arnold was completing his degree. After putting out an EP and backpacking through Europe, !mindparade started calling him back to the states. “Some Bloomington bands took notice and started emailing asking about booking !mindparade for shows. I said sure, came back to Bloomington, and in 3 weeks recruited my friends to help flesh out the sound as a live act. Honestly I think if that hadn’t happened, I may have stayed in Berlin and not come back at all- I was heavily considering it at the time.” The group released their first full length effort, Everything is Happening in 2012.
The artwork for the album originated from Alex’s travels. “I was living in India a few years ago, and walking along the beach on the Indian Ocean with my host brother outside the city of Chennai. This picture floated up from the tide right to my feet, a painting of 3 figures on a piece of wood. The figures’ faces, hands, and feet looked as if they had been burned away. I asked my host brother what it was. ‘This is a picture of God,’ he said. ‘Fishermen out at sea burn incense on the painting and use the ash to mark themselves.’ This !mindparade album is about cultivating a personal mysticism outside of pre-existitng dogmas or power-structures, hence the title Dead Mystics.”
Recently, Alex collaborated with the exuberant Diane Coffee (aka Sean Fleming, the touring drummer for Foxygen), contributing horns on his solo debut Everybody’s a Good Dog. “That was a lot of fun. I met Shaun in a bar in Bloomington, and we chatted a bit about music…..I always love the recording process and working with different people- you get to see other’s little quirks in their creative process. Shaun is really sure of what he wants and kept a good positive momentum through the session, we cranked it out pretty quick!”

The Bloomington local scene is thriving these days. “That is one of the coolest parts about Bloomington, how much music comes out of here. I guess it’s maybe because IU is a really great music school, and we’ve got the cool labels … and there’s a lot of good venues: it seems like it’s just this really awesome cesspool of talent.” Diane Coffee told NUVO in October. Another one of the city’s treasures is Ladycop, the main project for !mindparade keyboardist Chelsea Sherman (which Alex also is a part of). He’s also in Jefferson St. Parade Band and Black Acid Arkestra (both are jazz explorations).
Dead Mystics was released on Bloomington indie label Tree Machine Records, which was founded by !mindparade member Zack Anselm. “The label was my way of rebelling against ‘The Machine’ and finding peace of mind during an extremely complicated part of my life by connecting with musicians and redeveloping my understanding of the life around me” he divulged.
The epic last track on the new album, “Show You”, shines light into Alex’s ultimate resolve, celebrating his otherworldly visions of being a lizard and encountering aliens as he sings “I could show you that you’re not alone”. The album feels both personal yet eternal, and is a very solid chapter in what will hopefully be a continuing legacy for the group.

The future of !mindparade brings a few tour dates early this year (see below). Dead Mystics is available for purchase on vinyl or digitally.

Jan 15
The Bishop
Bloomington, IN
Jan 22
Mad Donna’s
Nashville, TN
Jan 23
The Woodward Theater
Cincinnati, OH
Feb 05
Joyful Noise Recordings
Indianapolis, IN - Psycho Sparkle