HERBCRAFT "Flowering" (Julia Dream Recordings)


Herbcraft is a psychedelic ensemble from Portland, Maine that have been making brain waves over the last few years with their releases on Woodsist sub-labels Hello Sunshine and Fuck-It tapes.  Rising from singer/guitarist Matt Lajoie's mostly solo project Cursillistas, Herbcraft explores a much more dynamic and electric space from behind the coastal fog.  This quintet (give or take a few members here and there) is making new progressions in jam trance space as well as paying tribute to the past triumphs of Haze purveyors worldwide, be they European (Harvester), Japanese (Denudes) or American (Dead).  You'll want to take a trip on the Herbcraft if you like your psych expansive and weightless, but not without a hint of menace.

Flowering, the first release on UK based Julia Dream Recordings, is the newest Herbcraft offering and I recommend you try to track down a copy of the cassette before they vanish entirely.  Both Herbcraft LPs appear to be in print as well. Order from Hello Sunshine direct.  You can sample tracks from all their releases on bandcamp.


Lajoie runs the interesting and lovingly curated label L'Animaux Tryst (Field) Recordings.  You can also catch him playing bass with MV&EE these days.