The Witch and the Robot: "God is a Chemical"

“God is a gas,” mumbled Alan Partridge when pressed by his editor on live TV; “God is fluorine,” respond the Witch and the Robot, Cumbrian acid freaks and purveyors of English weirdness. After last year’s un-pigeon holeable On Safari, the psychedelic six-piece return with a plan for three concept albums, the first of which looks to tackle sculptors, Nazi exiles, Brazilians, and their own hometown, the Lake District. The overriding theme is the fear of moving to London and they’re planning to carry out all physical sales through a leather dressage shop. It’s good to see Hen, Dobbin, JimmyT, Dustin Goodnite, Venice and DJ AESTHETIC HEARTBREAK are still as grounded as they were twelve months ago.

The only thing about Witch and the Robot that has changed is their music: they’ve swapped the freak folk of their debut album for San Franciscan stoner rock. Whether this is an attempt to establish themselves across the pond or simply a reaction to having exhausted English acid lines is unknown, but “God is a Chemical” tells us the band can at least change tact for one song. Opening with cowbell, detouring into swamp noises and finally settling on early Hendrix Experience, singer Venice takes to the mic growing ever more cryptic with each line. “She was a short girl in a long coat / Still not afraid to use Morse code / –.– – – .. / – .. – ....,” which apparently spells N8=SE. If you’re in a sober enough state to decode that, leave now: “God” is for believers in groovy dope only, full of more love and daisies than a Spinal Tap flashback. We’re talking about a band here who’ll paint you a picture if you drive up to Ambleside and buy their record. If they can stretch that zeal to a whole sophomore, go them.