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The Dharma Chain joined the ever-growing shoegaze and psychedelic rock scene back in 2024 with their debut Nowhere, but even early on their material showcased elements that pushed beyond the usual genre stereotypes. Originally based in Australia before relocating to Berlin, Germany, two years after Nowhere the group has returned with Some Kind of Pure State which transforms their sound even further towards a bit of everything alternative. Combining ethereal and more expansive soundscapes with more direct songwriting, The Dharma Chain strikes a balance between the past and present in ways that are exciting to listen to.
What stuck out to me the most throughout my first time through Some Kind of Pure State was how The Dharma Chain has distilled the essence of 90s alternative and psychedelic rock while still having elements to their writing that keeps things from becoming a pure nostalgia play. Opener “Inside a New” crams a lot of different elements into a single track, as the guitar work has a strong psych vibe with hints of Middle Eastern influences, the drumming is a bit faster paced and has more of an alternative rock feel, while the synthesizers contribute some additional textures that push towards even more musical styles. “Into the Night” and “Borderline” head more towards the shoegaze side of the spectrum, letting darker melodies build to layers of distortion and louder peaks. The latter shakes things up from a rhythmic perspective, as rather than the methodical and slower shoegaze pace around the halfway point things move to a more free-flowing pace that reminds me of a cross between garage rock and drum ‘n bass with psychedelic melodies layered over top. It’s this type of unexpected yet natural transition that makes Some Kind of Pure State so appealing, as the band draws you into a trancelike state but keeps things fresh from song to song. Sometimes things feel like classic psychedelic rock, other moments give off more of that classic 90s shoegaze period, and “Love’s Confusion” even heads into some Portishead style trip hop. Admittedly the album doesn’t fully stick the landing, as closer “How Far” attempts this mix of haunting piano and noisier textures but it stretches out far too long to the point that the impact is dulled. But the bulk of the material overshadows this slight misstep, making this an album that’s drawn me back to its hazy layers regularly.
Amanda McGrath and Benjamin Rompotis trade off on vocals throughout Some Kind of Pure State, with the performances coming in somewhere between ethereal and moodier. McGrath does get a bit more airtime, especially on tracks like “Into the Night” and “Borderline” where her singing moves from soft, almost whispered passages to much louder and ethereal pitches that soar above the instrumental layers. Her performance channels a lot of 90s alternative for me, sometimes coming in closer to Slowdive while other moments recall some of the singer/songwriters from that era. Rompotis has a much lower pitch that complements things well, and when his voice takes center stage it reminds me more of The Jesus and Mary Chain with its more reflective and darker tone. There are a lot of subtle details to the vocal work that start to jump out with additional times through, and this is an area where The Dharma Chain really pulled me in.
On their sophomore effort The Dharma Chain has expanded outwards, coming through like an encapsulation of everything that defined the alternative and fringe offshoots of rock in the 90s without sounding like a mere retread. At times they go full-on psych and shoegaze and draw you in with hazy layers and ethereal vocals, while other moments bring in the energy and directness of garage rock and beyond. The final track does drag things down a bit and stretches on for longer than it should, but aside from that there is a lot to like about what the band has put together. It seems like there is still even more areas that are left to explore, and I’ll be interested to hear how they continue to transform in the future. Some Kind of Pure State is available from Spinda Records in collaboration with Le Cèpe Records, Clostridium Records, Echodelick Records and Dirty Filthy Records for the vinyl edition.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg