The Third Eye

Immaterial Possession is a group from Athens, Georgia, that conjures a mysterious brew of folk, psychedelia, world music, and progressive rock. They’re back with a new single called “Sugar in a Memory,” accompanied by an excellent animated music video that takes listeners through day-dreamy, intimate musings of desperation, longing, and dealing with loss.

Released on January 22nd, the new song was written during the band’s formative days and carries a personal and nostalgic feeling of romance, seasonal change, and exploration through the poetry of nature. “Sugar in a Memory” is a song of hopefulness that summons the spring, a time for new beginnings, rebirth, and growth.

Check out the video for the song below:

The dreamy mystique of “Sugar in a Memory” has a beautifully gothic-folk sound powered by Madeline Polites’ vocals. The fluid psychedelia of the track also bears a resemblance to Melody’s Echo Chamber and perhaps even The Beatles.

Immaterial Possessions’ sound is exotic without being forbidding, created within the framework of pop music while embracing a mindset that falls outside its boundaries. The band aims to generate a sense of joy even when their music slips into a shadowy mood. They introduced themselves with a self-titled debut album in 2020, and their 2023 album Mercy of the Crane Folk fleshed out their ideas with greater skill and assurance.

Immaterial Possession was formed by Cooper Holmes and Madeline Polites, a pair of multidisciplinary artists originally from Atlanta. They’d been part of a community of musicians, artists, and theatrical performers who had established themselves in the city’s DIY underground scene. Feeling confined by the size of Atlanta, they relocated to nearby Athens, Georgia, a college town known as a home for free-thinking and bohemian culture.

The two were eager to start a band, with Holmes on bass and vocals and Polites on guitar and vocals. Looking for like-minded collaborators, they found experienced percussionist John Spiegel and keyboardist and woodwinds player Kiran Fernandes. Kiran’s father, John, was a celebrated member of the Elephant 6 group Olivia Tremor Control. Dressed in fanciful costumes and playing music they hoped would transport and transform their audiences, Immaterial Possession soon earned a unique reputation in Athens, and the Elephant 6-affiliated label Cloud Recordings issued the band’s debut in 2020.

The band is about to embark on their first U.K. tour this spring to celebrate their return with new music. Check out the tour dates below:

23 Apr: Talleyrand, Manchester, UK
24 Apr: Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, UK, w/ Marta Del Grandi
25 Apr: Cobalt Studios, Newcastle, UK, w/ Marta Del Grandi
27 Apr: Forty Years Of Fire – The Giant Syndicate, Earth, London, UK, w/ Giant Sand, The Dream Syndicate, Kristin Hersh, Islet, Bas Jan, Marta Del Grandi, Graham Reynolds
28 Apr: The Shacklewell Arms, London, UK
29 Apr: Folklore Rooms, Brighton, UK, w/ Marta Del Grandi

The sky’s the limit for Immaterial Possession, and I’m excited to dig into the rest of their material. “Sugar in a Memory” is an excellent song for psychedelic fans looking for the folkier, dreamier side of the genre. Enjoy!

Check out “Sugar in a Memory” by Immaterial Possession on Bandcamp here.

Support Immaterial Possession by finding them on Bandcamp, their official website, or social media (Facebook, Instagram).

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