Floral Image - Tapes Of Topology

Floral Image, a five-piece psychedelic-pop group based in Norwich, recently released their new audio-visual collection ‘Tapes of Topology’. Originally put together when the band couldn’t see each other during lockdown, the ‘Tapes’ are a mixture of new tracks and remixes. The band used the notion of a game of Consequences to construct the tracks, with each member leading off another member’s section to culminate in full songs.

This sense of patch-work music making is evident in the ‘Tapes’. The 39 minute album, comprising 11 individual tracks, moves seamlessly through different riffs, rhythms, instruments and tempos leaving you unsure of what to expect next, in the best possible way.

The band chose to release the ‘Tapes of Topology’ as a film on YouTube, in order to deliver an exciting visual accompaniment to what it calls a “continuous flow of soundscapes”. The film’s Gothic colour scheme of red and black accompanies mind-bending visuals, which flow between images of total abstraction, to more clear shots of the band and instruments. It’s 70s psychedelia meets 21st century effects, a combination bound to satisfy fans of psychedelic pop.

The collection is distinctly less vocal, and less ‘pop’ than some of the band’s previous releases, such as ‘Why I Leave’, which was listed as one of Huw Stephens’ Ones to Watch on BBC Radio 1. However, the ‘Tapes’ still manage to capture a range of genres within its meandering melodies. Track 7, “Broads” begins with a distinctly indie set of guitar chords, followed by a very 70s warbling electric guitar and drums that bring it back into the realm of psychedelia. The track that follows, “Subpina Colada”, has a disco-esque beat a couple of minutes in, testifying to the fact that you never quite know what you’ll hear next.

The intertwining samples of indistinct voices and chatter contribute to the collection’s overarching dream-like, and slightly disturbing, sound. ‘Aldous and the Visions’ is underscored by an ominous, old-wordly voice warning of the dangers of psychedelic drugs, a nod to the history and controversy of the psychedelic music genre, and the artistic movement more generally.

‘Tapes of Topology’ will no doubt be a hit with existing fans of the band, but I should imagine that the collection’s accompanying film, and the detail that has gone into curating this audio-visual piece, will draw in some new Floral Image fans. The film can be viewed on YouTube, and can be downloaded for free on the group’s Bandcamp page.