Black Market Karma’s two-album cycle reaches its conclusion. Following Wobble, we now get Mellowmaker (Fuzz Club). Everything is interconnected—musically and lyrically.
Right from the opening title track, we’re plunged back into ’90s shoegaze. The smiley face beams—this is a track that feels like a trip to the early days of neo-psych. But it doesn’t stop there.
With “Soft & Heavy,” the dancefloor is left behind and we drift into dream territory. What follows are gently strummed guitars and soft synth textures.
Stanley Belton handled everything himself, burying deep into manipulations and sonic tinkering. Still, he manages to craft fairly straightforward songs. Even if they wobble slightly, they remain effective psych-pop anthems.
Black Market Karma – Mellowmaker: Side two? Slightly better still. – RIFL