Datura

While New Zealand has become well known for its exciting forays into pop and experimental music courtesy of labels such as Flying Nun and Communion, there has seemingly not been a lot of New Zealand psychedelic music gaining notoriety. Cranium Music is the exception to this, and through their mail-order catalogue and label they have been spreading NZ’s psyche and prog sounds to the world. One of the more rocking bands on Cranium is the Hamilton, NZ-based trio Datura. Falling into stoner rock territory akin to the likes of early Monster Magnet or Sleep, Datura is a wah-wah heavy power trio that has seen a marked progression on Visions For The Celestial, their second full-length release. Six songs in total, Visions… is a promising step forward for the band and although there are a few places the band could improve (especially vocally), it is an overall satisfying listen.