There’s a strong psychedelic charge in Radio Vision‘s debut effort. The keen listener won’t be surprised by that, being that the human behind the project – Ben Stephenson – boasts a current militancy (although on a hiatus) in American psych outfit The Shook. Radio Vision is his solo endeavour, an outlet for nuanced and authentic personal expression. We welcome his return to the music scene, and frankly, we are quite impressed by ‘First Contact’, the project’s debut effort.
Exhuding cosmic energy, the record makes its way between bluesy-infused guitar lines and repetitive patterns, privileging long reverbs and dub-style delays over sonic clarity. Radio Vision’s vocals are fuzzy and rather lo-fi, adding charm and lusciousness to an already powerful track. Overall, ‘First Contact’ is a comfortable listening, although the ethereal nature of its arrangement might provide a welcome amount of escapism, a perfect feature in our complex and challenging times. Auto-produced in Stephenson’s bedroom studio, the single marks the beginning of a possibly long journey, with more material set to be released later this year.
Lyrically, the song explores the dynamic of our modern reality, examining our idiosyncrasies and inner conflicts, and the way others might judge us, looking in from the outside. Notably, the song stemmed from a TikTok jam that Stephenson had posted, which had an alien/UFO vibe.
Recommended! Discover ‘First Contact’ on Spotify:
