Alt-folk collective The Rishis offer a one-stop guide to Americana and soft-spoken psychedelic rock on their August Moon album. With duo Ranjan Avasthi and Sofie Lute as the core the band grew into an octet that can play country (Make Me Love You), pastoral pop (Wake Up, Holi), dark college rock (Just Between You And Me) and a meandering instrumental with a clarinet leading the way (Uttar Pradesh).
August Moon is a slow burn, getting better with each listen. There must something in the air of Athens, GA, that enables musicians to roam freely, conjuring up melodies and arrangements, that will be the envy of any ambitious band trying to replicate what seems to come natural to this assembly of kindred spirits.
It is a who-is-who of a thriving indie scene: Scott Spillane (Neutral Milk Hotel), John Kiran Fernades (Olivia Tremor Control), Andrew Rieger (Elf Power), James Huggins III (Of Montreal), Andy Gonzalez(Marshmallow Coast), Peter Alvanos (Elf Power), Lucy Calhoun (Black Swan Network), Todd Kelly (Great Lakes, Phosphorescent), and Wild Rumpus founder Timi Conle all brought their A-game. Fingers crossed that this not a one-off. Surely there is a demand for more than little of a half an hour of musical bliss.
August Moon will be released (vinyl, CD, digital) on on April 21 via Cloud Recordings and Elephant 6).
Tracks:- Holiday
- Migrations
- Oh So Young
- Seeds
- Make Me Love You
- Wake Up
- Just Between You & Me
- Holi
- Jetstream
- Uttar Pradesh
