by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
Leopardo, hailing from Fribourg, Switzerland, are the latest addition to the stellar Feel It Records (Spread Joy, Silicone Prairie, Smirk) roster, adding their own seasoned blend of garage punk and lo-fi psych to the mix. Set to release Malcantone, the quintet’s third full length, on June 11th, the record bridges the gap between bands like The Stooges and the early rock albums of Brian Eno’s solo output, with a gritty jangle and charming clarity. It’s messy and steeped on the noisier end of the production spectrum, but that rawness goes toward building their swirling sound and the raucousness of the record as a whole. The band are more than adept at locking in and voyaging out, and Malcantone finds them traveling to new cosmic territories as they sputter around repetitious riffs while evolving deeper in the layered structures.
Having shared their excellent lead single “Tell Me,” the band return with “Selfish Spoiled Child,” a song that takes a further dip down the psychedelic rabbit hole, moving from the previous single’s motorik boogie to something that more languid, upping the jangle and surrealism in the process. The video, directed by the band’s own Radiana Basso, is both incredible and slightly terrifying (depending how you feel about groups of people in creepy masks), shot in black and white, but full of vivid imagery, it’s as weird as it is compelling. The song itself and warm and warbly, built on the strong arpeggiated guitar progression and Basso’s kaleidoscopic synths.