Electric War finds Little Barrie—guitarist and vocalist Barrie Cadogan and bassist Lewis Wharton—reuniting with drummer and producer Malcolm Catto for a record that’s part hypnotic funk, part psychedelic exploration, and all unapologetically bold. The album captures the trio in near-telepathic synchronicity, each player pushing the others toward sharper grooves, stranger textures, and moments of thrilling improvisational risk.
From the opening moments of the title track, there’s a sense of cinematic swagger: gritty guitar riffs collide with Catto’s elastic drumming, creating a tension that feels both urgent and loose. Tracks like “Zero Sun” rumble with deep, slow-burning funk, while “Creaky” drifts into smoky, late-night psych, Cadogan’s feedback-drenched guitar weaving through Danny Keane’s cello lines with serpentine elegance. Even on more meditative pieces such as “Spektator,” there’s an undercurrent of kinetic energy, as Catto’s drums swirl like a choreographed storm around Cadogan’s jagged, jangling guitar.
The record balances instrumental pyrotechnics with occasional vocal forays, most notably “‘Said Soul,” a mid-tempo rocker that merges melancholy lyricism with jagged guitar filigree. Cadogan’s voice is measured but expressive, grounding the psychedelic frills with emotional clarity. Across the album, analog production gives the music an immediacy and warmth, as though the listener is in the room with the trio, feeling the raw friction and spark of live creation.
Electric War is less concerned with linear progression than it is with immersive texture. The trio often hovers on the edge of chaos, blending acid-tinged rock, dubby grooves, and cinematic strings to conjure a sound that’s at once retro and startlingly contemporary. Catto’s fluid drumming is the linchpin, alternating between listless shuffles and rolling bursts of energy, providing a flexible backbone that allows the band to roam freely.
This is a record that rewards patience: subtle details emerge with each listen, from the interplay of violin and cello to Cadogan’s intricate guitar lines, making it both a cerebral and visceral experience. Electric War may not chart new territory in strict structural terms, but it succeeds in creating an enveloping, psychedelic soundscape that lingers long after the final note fades. – Jason Felton
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-MI4W6SvBo&list=RDT-MI4W6SvBo&start_radio=1