KTSW LEVITATION 2016 (Playlist)

By the KTSW Music Staff

The ninth annual LEVITATION festival is quietly preparing for its opening on the weekend of April 29. Hidden in the depths of Carson Creek Ranch, the festival brings in some of the best psychedelic rock and pop bands. This year will feature the living legend Brian Wilson as he performs Pet Sounds, the incredible hypnotizing sounds of Animal Collective, the fuzzy and maniacal Ty Segall and more! To help put us in the mood for LEVITATION, our music staff has put together a Spotify playlist featuring incredible songs and artists. For more information about the festival, head over to the LEVITATION website.

• “Golden Gal” – Animal Collective: “This band has been killing it for so long now. I feel like they can’t disappoint. Plus, I reviewed their newest album and it was a lot of fun.” – Cheyenne Heaslet

• “Avant Gardener” – Courtney Barnett: “Courtney Barnett is a vivid storyteller. Her songs are honest, relatable and lots of fun. She has such a pure heart.” – Kendra Sells

• “You Won’t Be Missing That Part Of Me” – Melody’s Echo Chamber: “I have been listening to this band for several years now. Honestly, this is Kevin Parker from Tame Impala’s ex-girlfriend and you can tell because he definietly had influence on her one and only album. Who doesn’t like a beautiful french woman who sings like a goddess with Kevin Parkers influence?” – Ashley Galvan

• “Cant Do Without You” – Caribou: “Caribou extends the grooves and churns my inner childlike freedom in their uplifting songs so well that I forget there’s still a vocalist. There heavily instrumental songs will surely pump up the crowd.” – Desmond Rattler

• “Do the Astral Plane” – Flying Lotus: “There’s a reason you see this name on so many festival lineups in Austin and around the nation. This guy is a mad scientest in the studio with a ecletic music background to back it up. You never know what genre of music he is going to dip into and it makes his albums a fun, exciting listening expeirence. I’ve personally had the expeirence of seeing him at Electric Forest. What makes him so unique to others on this lineup will easily be his visuals that correlate with his set. They are on a whole ‘nother level.” – DeMarcus Cobb

• “I Know There’s An Answer” – Beach Boys: “Brian Wilson (writer/producer) of Beach Boys is playing Pet Sounds in its entirety for the 50th anniversary. proto psych” – Brandon Deleon

• “Salamanda Prolaganda” – Ty Segall: “The energies Ty Segal is able to give off while preforming such fuzzy, yet parallel distortions is impressive and mesmerizing. The ecstatic reactions summoned from the crowd while preforming really gets your blood pumping. There’s bloodcurdling screams, aching throats and pits; what more can you ask for?” – Ezlyh Gutierrez

• “Dimensions” – Golden Dawn Arkestra: “Expertly employing the exotic rhythms and melodies influenced by Nigerian Afrobeat and funk, Golden Dawn Arkestra is a force to be reckoned with. Dimensions will put you on your feet quickly and makes your negative emotions melt away into a psychedelic trance of groovy bliss.” – Ryan Lacerda

• “Lake Superior” – The Arcs: “The Arcs are an intersection of psychedelic rock, soul, rhythm & blues and pop with a touch of mariachi. Their lates single, “Lake Superior,” leans heavily on the psychadelic which is perfect for a spring day and LEVITATION Festival.” – Dallas Williams

• “Alison” – Slowdive: “Slowdive is one of those groups that should be a part of your music core. You can’t talk about shoegaze unless you bring up slowdive.” – Brittany Robinson, Assistant Music Director

• “People-Vultures” – King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: “I’ve seen them play live once before and they were so good. This was my favorite song they played and I think everyone else’s favorite too because they had to play it twice. It was really cool to see them use all these instruments, like the harmonica and flute, that you don’t normally see bands use come together to make the song.” – Denise Marrufo

• “Rollercoaster Baby” – Mild High Club: “Frontman Alexander Brettin brings his pleasant effervescent ’60s rock influences with him from touring with Mac DeMarco, Mikal Cronin and Ariel Pink into the stoner rock project that is Mild High Club. “Rollercoaster Baby” offers your ears a twirling organ-esque synth that compliments an easy going beat that will have you swaying from side to side when watching thier set at this year’s LEVITATION Fest.” – Janelle Abad, Local Music Director

• “Magma” – Chicano Batman: “Chicano Batman, hailing from East LA, have been making a splash with their 60’s psych soul sound that establishes a universal bond between the past and present. Singing in both Spanish and English, they’ve been able to establish a positive vibration that resonates with the crowd everywhere they play with their warm, tropcial guitar tones, a uniquelly driven bass lines, the crooning tones of Bardo Martinez and the columbian and songo drum grooves established by Gabriel Villa. If you have a chance to see them, I recommend checking them out.” – Nestor Vazquez, Local Music Director

• “Spiderwood Farm” – Purson: “With fuzz guitars and Wurlitzers holding hands, Purson pushes into theatrics that pursue the harmonies of Deep Purple or Cream, raising the thespian vocals of Rosalie Cunningham.” – Connor Schwanke

• “New Light” – Woods:  “Woods’ sound ranges from peaceful acoustic rock to snappy synth and rhythm-driven tracks. “New Light” is one of their more serene songs, but when put in a lineup with their more driving songs, it is sure to make for a fun and interesting show.” – Melissa Johnston