The Wands – The Dawn

Danish wise guys who know the difference between drone and droning on. While the rest of this psych generation seem content to thrash away at single chords for all eternity, The Wands have clearly (mis-)spent their youth absorbing the wide-eyed jangles and faux-eastern tinges of 60s acid rock – luckily they’ve got a good ear for melody too.

The wheezing organ that underpins most of The Dawn is the true psychedelic element here, adding a disorienting edge to Sound of the Machine and the near-jaunty War, but it’s the tremulous solemnity of Christian Skibdal’s vocals that truly sells ‘em. It’s enough to divert attention from some iffy lyrics – if you find a more clumsy sexual metaphor this year than “my totem pole is aching”, please keep it to yourself – and keep the focus on what these kids do best: tweaking the noses of the Stones and Roger McGuinn at their most fried. [Will Fitzpatrick]