Neo-Psychedelia
Located in 3 routes
Modern psychedelic rock built from swirling, phased guitars, hazy reverb-soaked vocals, hypnotic grooves and lush studio layering. Updates 1960s acid-rock and Syd Barrett-era textures with synths, drum machines and contemporary production. Dreamy, kaleidoscopic and immersive, it favors warped melody and trance-like repetition over flash, blending vintage warmth with modern, headphone-ready depth.
History
Began in the early 1980s with the Paisley Underground and acts like The Soft Boys feeding into later bands such as The Flaming Lips. It surged in the 2010s when Australia's Tame Impala turned bedroom psych into festival-headlining pop, alongside MGMT, Temples and Pond, redefining psychedelia for the streaming era and bleeding into mainstream production.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-psychedelia
- https://www.allmusic.com/style/neo-psychedelia-ma0000012144
- https://www.treblezine.com/24002-10-best-neo-psychedelic-albums/
- https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/