Wellington/ Pōneke septet Recitals released their first album “Orbit I” a year ago, towards the end of 2022. It more than delivered on the promise of a first single a couple of year prior to that. Here’s “Slow Fast” which does exactly what it says on the label:

The songs on “Orbit I” sound like they are trying to make sense of the connection between the dream world and the real world. Most alternate between a kind of dream-pop blissed-out state and a wild, verging-on-psychedelic rapturous freak out state.

It’s a sensation that’s sometimes akin to the the fabulous hyper-melodic multi-dimensional world of The Polyphonic Spree only a bit weirder and darker. In the case of “Slow Fast” here the song shifts gear into euphoric bustling chamber pop with instruments swirling in the clouds. When it lifts off it’s adventurous post-rock psychedelic prog and pretty wonderful as a result.

Recitals are Xanthe Brookes (bass, vocals, guitar), Carla Camilleri (synth, vocals), Christian Dimick (guitar, vocals), Josh Finegan (drums), Sam Curtiss (guitar), Tharushi Bowatte (trumpet), and Olivia Wilding (cello).