The explosive new single release from Dirty Sound Magnet grabs old ground, shakes it up and rocks out a contemporary twist in this precursor to an intelligent psychedelic album.
Using a scattergun of influences, Dirty Sound Magnet have harnessed a unique and versatile sound with a dynamic modernist expression that is their own original output. When the boundaries are pushed on a genre and the craftwork of artistry comes to life, this is where true rock exists. Throughout the single, there are momentary pulses of the many artists the band claim to have drawn upon to determine their personal contribution within the industry.
The category of psychedelic rock as a genre for the band is too narrow and requires unpicking. With Social Media Boy, the release is ‘psychologically delicate’, not just psychedelic. The track highlights the addiction to social media and the ‘need for feed’.
Social Media Boy opens with an eruption of frenzied Led Zeppelin style guitar work as an intro that is satisfying. This graduates into a melodic and steady flow that is signified by 70’s style bassline riffs that close the phrasing of each vocal line to raise the energy of the track. With reflections of 90’s indie and light punk in the vocal stylism yet with clear rock roots, this punchy and rhythmic beat powerfully delivers.
The impressions of synth stab edges have been experimentally created on guitar using exploratory techniques in the studio and in production. Direct line into the desk, scratch and slide with erratic amplification and effect settings have been purposefully sampled into the setup. This has been a labour of love for this hard-working three-piece.
Score: 4.5/5
By Steve Walker