As the crowd began to fill Mohawk indoors for Texas psych-rock staple Holy Wave, Mosaic Sound Collective founder Dan Redman took the stage. He spoke on the mission of the organization, the growth they’ve seen, and plans for the future. In almost opposite energy, attention was directed to a live mural painting by Kengo Hioki, aka “Yellow” from comic punk act Peelander-Z. Hioki, who performed music later in the night, screamed “I don’t know how to paint!” and began to attack a huge yellow tarp with giant pink brush strokes and blue splatter. The mural quickly became fully realized, colors dripping down and seeping into one another, and as “Yellow” yelled his adieu and focus was shifted back to the stage.
Holy Wave took their places behind their instruments and began their first tune. The 5-piece seemed to breathe the same breath, interlocked drums and bass grounded sprawling synths and woven guitars creating a thick aura of tactile motion. Many of the song’s arrangements seamlessly grew from their initial grooves into denser, more intricate resolutions. Each of the band’s singing voices were so distinct, fresh vocals and lush harmonies ebbed and flowed from track to track. A multitude of sounds criss-crossed through the audience’s ears as effects pedals and samplers were utilized to distance the group from more tiresome rock groups. Evoking Pink Floyd and Spaceman 3, these compositional choices make the band truly psychedelic.
Towards the end of the set, center stage guitarist/keyboardist/singer Ryan Fuson told the crowd the set had been entirely new songs. With their last album Adult Fear being released early 2018, a new record seems just on the horizon.