The Third Eye

Charles Moothart is a Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who has played and still plays in various Ty Segall bands like Freedom Band, Fuzz, and GOGGS. Moothart has also made records as CFM, and he’ll release his first album under his own name, Black Holes Don’t Choke, in March via In The Red Records. 

Moothart wrote, recorded, and mixed the record entirely by himself in his L.A. studio, and it features more electronic elements, such as samplers, than he’s ever used before. He recently released the first single, “Roll,” from the new record, which he describes as “apocalyptic pop.” The video directed by Matt Yoka is rather apocalyptic, too, which you can check out below:

Moothart’s apocalyptic pop aptly describes the catchy, fuzz-drenched psychedelia found in the new single. The three-minute and eleven-second song sounds like a mix between Frankie and the Witch Fingers and another band we’ve written about recently, Timothy Eerie, with powerful vocals, weird synthetic sonic soundscapes, and a fast, frantic pace.

Black Holes Don’t Choke is meant to be a present meditation, meaning it’s another modern-day psych album that looks at our quickly developing dystopian world. Moothart plays all the music on the record, and using samplers is a noteworthy development. The album “conveys a feeling of chaotic love and empowerment within a time of existential turmoil – aiming to lift up what positives exist in a world riddled with toxicity and complexity.” 

That sounds similar to what another modern psych band, Dirty Sound Magnet, tried to convey with their newest record, Dreaming in Dystopia. That’s not to say Moothart’s theme isn’t original; it’s more to say that many psych musicians are trying to wrap their heads around the Dumpster fire of the world today.

The production of Black Holes Don’t Choke is another area of artistic growth for Moothart. His love of classic hip-hop and his desire to deepen his creative language led to him spending recent years examining the world of sampling and sequencing. In addition, he has been working to hone his engineering and mixing abilities through his own projects and collaborations. Combining these elements created a new atmosphere for Moothart’s songwriting to evolve.

Black Holes Don’t Choke is the first release under Moothart’s proper name, but he has released previous albums under the moniker CFM (also with In The Red). He has spent the past 13 years touring in Ty Segall’s live outfits, as well as making records and touring with bands like Goggs. This new record and the name change marks the start of a new chapter for Moothart, and it’s cool to get a glimpse of it with this new single. Enjoy!

Pre-order Black Holes Don’t Choke by Charles Moothart here.

Support Charles Moothart on Bandcamp or find him on Instagram.

Support In The Red Records on Bandcamp by checking out their official website or finding them on social media (Instagram).

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