We usually don’t write about bands that rake in millions of Spotify streams, but we make an exception sometimes. Meltt is a band we’ll be discussing, and I want to tell you about. They’re a four-piece alternative psych-rock band formed in Vancouver that has garnered tons of attention and is similar to other neo-psychedelic/shoegaze-type bands we’ve covered on The Third Eye occasionally, like Temples.
Meltt molds “buzzing shoegaze guitars, otherworldly keys, and evocative vocals into a widescreen psychedelic projection of three-dimensional emotion.” The band introduced their dreamy sound to the world with the 2017 EP Visions and followed that with a multi-faceted approach in their debut full-length album, Swim Slowly, in 2019. When the pandemic hit, the band wrote and recorded what would become Another Quiet Sunday, a five-track EP released in March 2023.
The band retreated to a remote cabin to feverishly write and shore up the foundation of Another Quiet Sunday, which is always a great way to do things. The creative tradition of retreating to the woods is shared among artists of all types, from writers to musicians, and the trick usually works well.
Meltt has stayed busy, too. They’ve reeled in millions of streams online, and they’re gearing up to release another full-length album this year called Eternal Embers. I was contacted by a PR person who told me about this Vancouver-based group and shared a single off the upcoming album, Soak My Head, a beautiful song. I like the cinematic feel of it and the urgency of the echoed vocals amid the lush soundscape they’ve created. It truly is a soundtrack for your daydreams, as the band has called it.
They’ve released another single from the upcoming album, Do You Wonder?, that follows along the same lines as their previous efforts. This type of alt-psychedelic rock is meant to chill you out and, hopefully, uplift you. Unlike some of the stuff we cover on The Third Eye, there are no bludgeoning riffs and massive bass frequencies. Instead, the sounds of Meltt are a soothing balm that, while still loud, will put you in a relaxed mood.
Meltt’s upcoming album, Eternal Embers, also has an underlying theme that’s very relevant today. While maybe not a concept album, the record centers around the anxiety of social media and technology addiction, something many of us are guilty of today. It discusses times wasted and the need to rest and become more present with our surroundings. It’s ironic that Meltt tackles this subject because Tom of The Third Eye just wrote about an album by a German band called Neon Burton that has a song on the same theme.
Meltt is already on the radars of many psychedelic rock fans, so I may not be introducing anything new in this post. They’ve broken into the semi-mainstream, gained inclusion on a few official Spotify playlists, and picked up an international audience. And they could be an excellent addition to a playlist you plan to make soon. Their neo-psych sound is good for fans of the more indie psychedelic scene like Animal Collective and MGMT.
I began digging into their previous releases and liked what I heard. Songs like Blossoms on their recent EP, Another Quiet Sunday, offer extraterrestrial vibes with funky synth sounds. And then they have songs on the EP like Only in Your Eyes that bring a danceable rhythm and smooth, falsetto vocals. Meltt may not bring the heavy psych riffage we discuss so much on The Third Eye, but we all need to chill out sometimes. So, put away your phone, tune in to their new singles and EPs, and let them take you on an alt-psych journey.
Support Meltt by finding them on Bandcamp, their official website, or social media (Instagram, Facebook).
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