Ancient River/Worthless/Ma Holos

Via both London and Austin, Texas, Ancient River are carving up a nice presence in the psychedelic rock scene (“reverb-soaked noir-psychedelia,” is how the band puts it). The new album sees frontman James Barreto arranging statement pieces against his background in American rock ‘n’ roll and improvisation. He and drummer Alex Cordova know how to manipulate dynamics and not just fall back on shoegaze-type tropes. “This is the Time,” for instance, intersperses droney verses among ascendent lead guitar lines. “Keeper of the Dawn” is a more laid-back trip, with Barreto arranging haunting keys on top of chilled-out percussion. Based on everything we’ve been hearing from these guys, it sure sounds like their live show should capitalize well on their dedication to the spirit of psychedelia. (Sandy)