CD REVIEWS

The best British group of the year!

All in the Mind [Versions]

I think the last time I played a computer game, it was 1984 or thereabouts. I recall trying to pilot a two-dimensional spaceship through a monochrome field of asteroids - without, it must be said, much success - to a soundtrack of monophonic bleeping. Well, much has changed in the world of computer games since then. These days, it's all frightfully sophisticated and very big business, and every game comes with a full-scale soundtrack. I mention all this because this CD represents Psychophile's contribution to the soundtrack of something called Project Gotham Racing - available now for X-box, kids. I take it you know what all this is about, because I certainly don't. But it's obviously a major step forward for Psychophile. For an independent band, getting a track on a mainstream computer game is a coup indeed.

There are eleven different incarnations of "All In The Mind" here. The version featured in the game is, logically enough, the Project Gotham Racing 3 Edit - a slightly truncated 'n' adjusted version of the original (which is also here). It's a storming cyberpunk symphony of sampled orchestral stabs, revving engines, and Lucy Pointycat's agile vocal taking it all from a growl to a lullaby in the space of a chorus. Elsewhere on the remix-stack we find, as ever in these situations, a variety of reworkings which range from the inspired to the, erm, not quite so inspired. The Studio 12 mix adds a bit of drum 'n' bass flavouring, but, having had that idea, it seems the remixers didn't quite know what to do with the track aside from letting it trundle along. The Harry Ramsey mix slows things down to a loping dub groove, which isn't actually bad at all, but I find myself wishing they'd kept the vocal upfront and untreated, Ari Up style. The most unexpected version comes from History of Guns, who essentially record their own tune - a roaring, battering thing of aggressive drums and disembodied bass-rumbling, which at times sounds like seven songs at once. Then they drop some chopped-up bits of Psychophile on top like a sprinkling of chives on a hot curry sauce. Cacophonous and audacious in equal measures.

If you're not familiar with Psychophile, I suspect this mix collection isn't quite the right place to start. The band's most recent album - the excellent Vodka Milk - provides a much more accessible entry point. But for fans of the 'phile, or for collectors of computer game ephemera (I assume there are such people), this release is a neat extra treat.

Reviews of the Vodka Milk album

Psychophile is a British duo whose electro-rock stretches wide to reveal a bevy of influences on Vodka Milk. Everything from Kate Bush to Ministry to Dead Can Dance to Skinny Puppy has been placed in their space-aged blender, as songs like "Naked" and "Sussurus" intertwine piano, effects, and twin vocals with shimmering results. Danceable much of the time with an air of New Order (especially from the vocal), songs like "All in the Mind" and "Dreams in Vain" keep the beat kicked up while leaving the mood relatively dark, exposing the band's NIN side. Featuring top-flight programming and a tad of guitar-infused rock like "The Otherside", Psychophile provides the soundtrack to that warehouse party that you're skeptical about stepping foot inside.

I've seen Psychophile play live a few times. I've always been caught up with singer Lucy Pointycat's enthusiasm. On CD she sounds much sterner than her stage performance might suggest. It is perfectly possibly that she is a strict person in real life. I'll leave you to imagine what that would be like.

Opening song "All In The Mind" starts in a bleak electronic manner, then changes to light and electronic. It's easy to imagine this working in clubs or live. This ability to change gear greatly elevates Psychophile in my opinion. There's a harshness to their sound, though it never descends to discord. "Naked" is more of the same, with extra waves of distorted noise. It's as if guitarist Smogo were hammering on dustbin lids in a backyard, while Lucy is practising for her classical music recital from a nearby window. It's not without charm – and will no doubt delight fans of The Wasp Factory record label roster – but it's the sort of thing that gives me a headache if I'm not careful. Lucy sings: "I'm naked... I'm naked... I'm naked..." but I'm not sure whether she considers this a good thing or not.

We're in more melodic waters for "Cracked". The verse has some gentle guitar, making the noisy chorus eruption more effective. This is a good example of the shading and texture that was lacking in the previous song. A distorted guitar smothers the climax, but in a good way. At under three minutes, Psychophile know it's best to leave 'em wanting more. There's a gentle melancholy that permeates the verse of "Isolation". I wonder if I'm listening to a Die Laughing outtake. Even on first listen I know that there will be noise to disrupt the pleasant piano-led ponderings. But when the deluge comes it complements rather that disrupts what has come before.

There's no gap between the end of "Isolation" and the beginning of "Is This Real?" which briefly makes me wonder if the former song has taken off in a completely unexpected direction. This song mixes keyboards and hard rocking guitars. "Waves" has cheesy 80s synths plus more FX-laden guitars, though these are stripped back to let Lucy sing with just a simple drum machine backing. There's a harshness to the sound, though it is still catchy.

"Sussurus" is a calm in the storm, no doubt inspired by the sea near Psychophile's hometown of Brighton. It's a synthetic piano-led instrumental. Not being such a huge fan of things distorted and electronic I'd like the band to develop this side of their sound. The fake strings sound particularly evocative, helping the song to sound like a b-side by The Gathering. We're back with the noisy electronics for "The Otherside" which reminds me of The Chaos Engine, circa "Angel of Ruin" but with just the noisy bit rather than the quiet bit that sounded like Brendan Perry. It's interesting to hear Lucy sing in a higher register, it all adds variety to the sound. Next song "Circles" continues this trend. It adds a warmth to Lucy's voice, she sounds more feminine. There's an electronic current in this song, but it's smoother than elsewhere.

"Gentle" lives up to its name. Lucy implores "Be gentle with me" over some subtle electronics and sound effects of rain and storms. In a weird way it reminds me of the sort of atmosphere created by Depeche Mode in their quieter moments circa Black Celebration. I like the fact that it doesn't erupt into an electronic and guitar assault. It does progress, but it's more effective because Lucy and Smogo know when to restrain things. The cheesy 80s synth of "Waves" returns for "Not Listening" which starts slowly, luring the listener into a false sense of security. It creates a feeling of alienation, which is no doubt the intention.

The album comes to a close with the curiously-titled "Pigs Pots and Pans", which running six minutes I expect to be an epic. However the first half of the song is made of quiet synth-based noodlings. Then we get industrial clanks and beeps. Things kick up a gear three minutes in and we get the sort of instrumental you'd expect if Pink Floyd listened to Kraftwerk. The experimental nature of the song makes it a curious coda to the album. I wonder if it heralds the direction of future releases? This is how the CD will end, not with a bang, but with a crunch.

Psychophile's second full-length album is an appealing mix of bouncy dance floor material and prettier, more delicate pieces. Sure to appeal to goths and synthpop fans alike, Vodka Milk's mixture of bass-heavy drum machines, electric guitars, and flamboyant vocal work is as thick and overpowering as the cocktail ingredients it's named after.

At her most outrageous, front woman Lucy Pointycat has all the delicate femininity of Alison Moyet combined with the vocal precision of Marc Almond, which is to say that she can be kind of butch and flat, but in an enthusiastic British New Wave kind of way that's indisputably cool. It's a vocal style that serves her best on the more upbeat tracks like album opener "All In the Mind", the darkly funky "Dreams In Vain", or the irrepressibly perky "Waves".

The surprising thing, though, is that when she tones herself down a bit, she's got a very pretty voice, and the band's softer moments are some of their most dramatic. "Circles" is gorgeous, ethereally floating pop, and "Gentle" is a beautifully minimal ballad, just voice layered over subdued ambient synths. "Isolation" starts similarly quiet with a touching piano melody, then builds up into a dramatic guitar-driven rocker, while "Susurrus" highlights the band's instrumental abilities, adding a lovely cello piece (provided by guest musician Jo Quail of Earth Loop Recall) to Pointycat's piano arrangements.

Psychophile have a unique sound that combines the emotional edge of goth with the booty-shaking impact of really well-crafted EBM. Good stuff from start to finish, this album has all the sweetness and sting of a Stolichnaya milkshake.

The second full-length from Psychophile picks up from where the last album ended, and takes a massive leap forward in terms of quality and confidence, without shedding any of those elements that made their debut such an original and attention-grabbing release. Over these dozen or so varied tracks, the listener moves through many different styles and tempos, from torchy songs to full-on EBM/industrial whilst throughout, Lucy's uniquely rich and diverse voice ranges from semi-operatic to almost Cohen-esque. Within this diversity, however, there is that distinctive "Psychophile sound" as all the different styles, influences and ideas become branches of the main trunk. To have crafted their own sound whilst still able to explore so many avenues is what marks this band out, and ensures they will continue to create albums every bit as enticing and enjoyable as this one.

Amazing voice, infectious music, what more can you ask?

This is entirely different from anything I've ever reviewed. The first track, "All In The Mind" has a Front Line Assembly sound to it. This UK duo mix things up quite a lot, with strange synth sounds and weird timing. The song "Naked" is a good example of this. "Cracked" is a catchy song with some cool guitar riffs. "Isolation" has a beautiful piano/vocal intro, and weaves some great harmonies. "Is This Real?" has a bit of Lacuna Coil sound to it, which might help you get more an idea what this sounds like. For some more awesome melody and harmonies you need look no further than the instrumental "Sussurus". It's trippy and mellow and I just dig it the most. Overall, this is one of those CDs you can throw on when you're not sure what mood you're in, and it's really good when you're stoned. You should check this out, if you're open minded enough. This isn't Metal, but it's damn cool.

Psychophile follow up their 2003 Transition release with a mature album that improves on its predecessor in many ways. For one thing, the band have found the right balance in the mix and everything falls nicely in place in their production of Vodka Milk. Musically they pursue the same way traced in Transition, only it is evident that Lucy and Smogo have done quite some homework and the new compositions come through as much more compelling on the whole, cured to the detail, and show that the band have focused quite well on their own direction. The electro-dance substrate is as solid as ever, the distorted guitars play a balanced role, and Lucy's vocals sound as though the band have many different singers in one. The tempo varies substantially across the tracks and they find the time for a dreamy instrumental piano-driven piece, also remarkable for incorporating some cello parts or some welcome experimentation as in the slow "Gentle". "Isolation" is bound to be a gothic favourite and is perhaps the track that will hit many listeners at first, possibly a band classic for years to come. A video track shows the band in their full PVC glory miming a storming live act. Vodka Milk has the potential to meet the taste of a wide audience of modern, dance-oriented goths, and quite possibly beyond that.

The second album from Brighton electro-goth twosome Psychophile takes a more experimental approach than debut Transition, roaming through swirling, barely-structured upbeat dance rock on "All in the Mind" to warped balladeering on the more minimalist "Isolation". As before, darkside diva Lucy Pointycat takes centre-stage in each song with a versatile and unpredictable vocal style that goes from butter-wouldn't-melt to truly demonic in a matter of seconds, making Vodka Milk an intoxicating brew.

Delicious! Psychophile's Vodka Milk is an inviting intoxicant that goes down smooth. Lucy Pointycat and Smogo's chemistry has produced a masterful collection of songs that will both excite and intrigue the listener. Lucy's voice encompasses a spectrum ranging from plaintive to Valkyrian. She will seduce you. It's also gratifying to hear a group who has conscientiously written solid, melodic songs that grab your attention; yet will transcend the Darkwave/EBM ghetto. Five out of five skulls, for this one! That's it. I need not say anymore.

Electronics throbbing, guitars squalling, and a voice that scrambles everywhere like a cat on a climbing frame. It could only be Psychophile.

In a way, this is Psychophile's coming-of-age album. Although the duo of Lucy and Smogo collaborated on the very fine Transition album in 2003 (and the band has much earlier history behind it as founder member Mat Hook's own project), Vodka Milk introduces us to a new and improved Psychophile, brimming with confidence and sense of purpose. You've only got to glance at the front of the CD to realise that Psychophile are now definitely in take-on-the-world mode. While so many bands choose to hide their identities discreetly - or timidly - behind blandly anonymous exercises in "design" (something which, I recall, Psychophile themselves did on their previous release), now they're confident enough to show themselves on the front of their own album. It's as if they're sending out a defiant message: Here we are. This is us. Deal with it! It's a strong image, and I'm sure record store browsers who come upon this album by chance will be immediately interested. In fact, I can think of two things about that cover photo which would certainly grab anyone's attention....

The music exhibits a similar big-boots stompy confidence. Psychophile's essential ingredients - that mash-up of electronics and guitar-noise - are, of course, fairly familiar these days. But Psychophile aren't just another goth/EBM hybrid outfit, hoping to touch all bases with the divergent scene crowd of today. Their music is, in fact, quite unique - and far more left-field than you might at first assume. There certainly aren't any straightforward goth-club dance tracks here, although there's plenty that would certainly fill more adventurous floors. Let's dip in.

"All In The Mind" is all assertive samples and a treated, grinding guitar, as Lucy wrenches out a sardonic vocal. On both "Naked" and "Cracked" she unleashes her vertigo-inducing vocal swoops, her voice a dipping and climbing rollercoaster. "Naked", in particular, is notable for the way the song churns and strains at the leash, but never quite takes off into the dancefloor number that you half-expect it will. That's a trademark Psychophile trick: leading the listener to expect something familiar is coming...and then doing something completely different.

"Is This Real?" zooms along like a skateboarder on Brighton sea front, great gusts of guitar powering the pell-mell racket. "Waves", an old song rebooted, is a little gem of pop songwriting, now polished up in a way that makes the melody shine. The mysterious burst of military drumming that now crops up in the middle is a bit of a surprise, but Psychophile incorporate this odd effect so seamlessly that it sounds entirely natural. "The Otherside" chops and changes, as if the band had spliced several versions of the song together, but, again, it works, and the whole thing just keeps on rattling forward. "Gentle" is a complete departure, in that it's an otherworldly croon, a ballad based around the sound of constantly falling rain, as outer-space electronics throb and pulse, while Lucy seems to sing almost to herself. It's as if we've peeked into her diary and are stealing her innermost thoughts. In a way, this is perhaps the best thing here, although it's miles away from what most people would think of as the familiar Psychophile sound.

"Dreams In Vain" is probably the number long-suffering club DJs will latch on to, for it's a rare example of Psychophile playing things (relatively) straight, on a song with an insistent, regular, move-your-ass beat and a vocal that snarls and soars in equal measures. And, finally, "Pigs Pots and Pans" wraps things up with a subtly shifting electro-pulse that slowly builds into an assertive guitar-grind, and then fades as if the spaceship is leaving planet Earth. At the very end, the escape velocity rockets fire...and it's gone.

This album sees Psychophile confidently staking out a territory that's all their own. I'm not sure if that will give them an easy path to scene-superstardom - in fact, I suspect it probably won't, since they're obviously not in the business of giving the listener a comfortingly familiar ride. But they're cool and unique, and for that we should cherish them. What's more, the CD inlay lists a menu of seven cocktails (including the rather potent-looking "Psychophile"), all of which include both vodka and milk, and which, apparently, it's assumed the listener will knock back while listening to the album. Guitars, electronics, soaring vocals and mind-altering drinks. You really can't say no, can you?

Psychophile's second album "Vodka Milk" represents an exciting progression, evolution and maturation for the band - a confident and varied composition seamlessly spanning industrial dance, electronica, EBM and gentler moments which are reminiscent of Gitane Demone's work.

The disc begins with the catchy "All in the Mind" that works well as an introduction to the novel sound of the band; a sound that builds with "Naked", a song where the slow tempo, the precious voice of Lucy, and the precise bursts of guitar combine to create a lament without equal. An exaltation of the senses through one repeated melody, it is terribly effective. One of the best songs of the album.

The distortions used in "Cracked" are too harsh for my taste, yet altogether the song leaves a good flavour in the mouth. With "Isolation", we recover the usual Psychophile formula, that is, Lucy's magical voice which powers through to the end of the song along with Smogo's great technical quality on guitar.

With "Is This Real?", the duo ramp up the tempo of their music, rendering it completely danceable without falling into the usual clichιs of the current dark electronic scene. It demonstrates their talent and desire to innovate. The tempo lowers with "Waves", where the keyboards and joyous melody give form to a delicious pie of electronic sounds.

I sincerely did not expect to like Vodka Milk so much, but I have to say that its music is highly rewarding. Their use of sounds and smooth industrial atmospheres, Lucy's brilliant voice and the almost peerless programming makes Psychophile one of the most interesting groups on the British scene.

The second Psychophile experience begins with "All In The Mind", a techno beat bludgeoned by huge synth stabs, vaguely reminiscent of the very early works of the Human League in a paralell universe where Alison Moyet was lead singer in place of Phil Oakey.

The tense, ominous "Naked" follows, Lucy's voice floating eerily over thick layers of synth and guitar, with a drum loops distilled down to mere blasts of noise. It's tracks like this that really show their musical progression since the first album. "Cracked" is another highlight, featuring some of their best guitar work to date, whilst Lucy's vocals (and the multiple octaves that come with it) sway confidently through the full length of this particularly dark tale.

The slow "Isolation" bridges us to "Is This Real?", the first really uptempo track, with the synth lead dancing delicately over the thick, growling power chords, and their interpretation of electro-rock (if that's what you call it) emphasises the 'rock' elements without overplaying its hand - they've tried several times before to write songs like this, but this one works better than any of their previous attempts. The rich, lush expanses of "Waves" offer more of a new wave feel, taking us neatly up to the "intermission" of "Sussurus".

Intermission? Well, that's how I normally diplomatically rate instrumentals plonked in the middle of otherwise vocal albums. Thankfully, this bunch have at least had the good sense to bring in Jo Quail (ex-ELR, now of SonVer) on cello, in this delicate little bridge between the two halves of the album, a composition which eventually builds up enough atmosphere to justify its inclusion. It's then straight on with the filthy industrial rock of "The Otherside", which kicks, bites, screams and scratches all the way through its four-and-a-half minute duration.

Next up is "Circles", a light electronic piece, little more than two minutes in length, a pleasant enough way of taking us through to "Gentle", a dark, funereal song, laden with sinister electronics bleeps and burbles, with Lucy's vocals more ethereal than at any time previously (I had to check the inlay to see if they'd got a different singer in, but no, it's still Ms.Pointycat at work!). Accelerating toward the end now, we get "Not Listening", more furious electro-rock, schizophrenically switching between simplistic analogue sections and scathing blasts of overdrive from Smogo's axe.

With the throttle now very much engaged, they launch right into "Dreams In Vain", melodic in places, but otherwise fairly straightforward Psychophile fayre. The last track on the album is the obscurely titled "Pigs Pots and Pans", an odd instrumental, eerie pads, quirky loops and a noisy middle section that appears out of nowhere, before fading back to nothingness once more.

It's a suitably strange finale to an album which is varied in both style and quality. There's plently of reasons why you might want to pick this thing up. It sounds like a band doing what they want to do rather than taking the easy option and running through the cliches. If you're feeling adventurous, you could do a lot worse than picking this thing up.

These tracks shine... Lucy Pointycat's voice is very emotional, beautiful and clear and the programming creates a dark and oppresive atmosphere.

Multifaceted, creative and well-made, for fans of the genre this is a genuine find.

Rating: 4 out of 5

It's an impressive cocktail of diversity, with the sound ranging from cold industrial beats to melodic guitar ballads. The lyrics deal with the shadowed world inside the mind and the fragile connection with others. Lucy Pointycat brings a dramatic mood to the album with her unusual voice.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Brighton's Psychophile have come a long way since their early demo recordings. This is their second album and their songs are tighter, following a more experimental route. That said, Lucy Pointycat's still got the kind of deep vocals that would make a grown man cry and they provide a strong contrast to the electro-industrial elements of each track.

And so after the transition that evidently was their Transition debut, they have stretched out and it works, proudly. Darkly lit for the most part, this show highlights grief and seethes with feeling.

"All In The Mind" is meticulous musically and instantly precocious with tough wiry vocals and chunky beats, maintaining a good shape throughout and revealing their electro-Goth as quietly disturbed in its content, managing to be both buoyant and stern, a strenuous field of activity which continues in "Naked" as the vocals recorded go both high and low, the mood far more important than the "song" and creating a stirring nausea. "Cracked" finds Lucy Pointycat as a very stark, mature diva offering another grim prospective. Shady guitar lurks behind her, until the music rises up and washes over her.

"Isolation" is gentler and willowy, with a very simple accompaniment to the sad, thoughtful vocal; the mood remaining quite grave until it all starts thumping in, but this isn't a set routine they have, like most duos, because the music varies greatly throughout this album. "Is This Real?" has serious guitar swarming over attractive keys, although the percussion hisses and snaps so sharply it almost obscures some singing, but they are generally strident, and it soon becomes a stormy blend.

"Waves" implies with its start we're in for some introductory warmth and then dancey-dancey but no, the corkscrewed vocals butt straight through the shuffling tune with some lush melodies somewhat mangled. Excellent... a truly great song. Then, oddly (and we like odd, yes?) an instrumental, "Sussurus" with pleasant keyboards and synth wash gradually moving towards strings and leaving you perplexed when the sumptuous thing ends.

"Circles" is mild and very brief, with a dazed sense of confusion, and the strange "Gentle" is even better, where they bravely keep things slow, with hushed vocals over a gloopy musical morass. "Not Listening" has wheedling intricacies and ricocheting scratchiness, holding back until it finally crunches in, and the caustic vocals explode into vengeful tones.

"Dreams In Vain" is a tricky little bastard, with a demure dance feel and drowsy elegance, which positively throbs with promise and mystery and builds beautifully, showing how obvious the growth has been here. It's the real end to a quality album that manages to entertain despite a preference for morose contents, and then they bring us a slow cacophony with "Pigs Pots and Pans" which is not just weirdness, but quite enthralling in its lush way and leaves us in a questioning state. Plus it's a nice title.

So – my, how they've grown! Just don't forget to buy one.

Well, what can I say?!?! This is a quality release!

I have to smile to myself over the fact that it is always at this time of year that a UK Goth act bring out a slightly poppy album – it kind of marks the beginning of the Summer months for us Goths. This year is no exception – Psychophile are the band to do it this year, and they've done a great job. The music is tight, well mixed, contemporary and varied enough to hold your attention.

Those vocals of Lucy Pointycat still hold their distinctive Alison Moyet sound – they are so strong they could clear their own path – through concrete!

Each track is different, and as a whole that means that the album holds your attention – there's a mix of everything on here, from the electronic, beat laden "All in the Mind", the semi-theatrical "Naked", the sultry, sexy and tempting "Cracked", and the passionate and emotional "Isolation" (nearly had me in tears this one!) – this band are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to appeal to your senses. I'd love to see a list of their musical influences!

But is it Goth Jim? Well, musically I feel that Lucy could turn her voice to any genre of music, and listening to this music without knowing who the band were, or seeing any images of them, you'd be hard placed to think of the music as "Goth". True, elements of today's modern Goth scene are evident in the music ("Not Listening" is one such track), but the question is, are Psychophile just Goths playing music that works for them? I'll leave you to decide on the answer to that one.

I get the feeling from the album, Psychophile are an act that will put on a great live show – there is energy in the music, and passion in the singing, and it is these strengths that the band must never lose sight of. Coupled with the fact that they have direction and know what they know what they are doing, will see them go from strength to strength.

This album is a distinctly British modern-Goth album, and makes you feel proud to be associated with the genre. Here's wishing the band well for the future, but this is not needed as there's enough talent on offer here to keep the band going for ages yet! Oh, and did I mention there's a music video on the CD too? No, well, you'll just have to buy it then!

Rating: 9 out of 10 - New, Varied, Captivating, Get in there!

Review of the 2004 promo CD, featuring tracks from the Vodka Milk album

Stunning, unique, dark, moody and sexy – a sequence of superlatives most universally featured in the glowing press releases indicative of a substandard art-rock band. Psychophile, however, are the remarkable exception – these adjectives are insufficient to describe the Brighton two-piece's unique mix of industrial, techno, trip hop and rock music.

Ingenuity is one thing, but juxtaposing the vocals with Siouxsie Sioux against a backdrop Tricky would kill babies for is another. Lucy Pointycat and her orgasmic five octave voice roam, command, conquer and ravage the angular guitars and programming she, and her most articulately irreverent bandmate, Smogo, have carefully put together. The vocal presence on 'Dreams In Vain', with compellingly variant pitch and delivery, takes the listener on a journey led by a potent piano pull.

Ingenuity is the very reason I implore everybody to give Psychophile a listen. The beauty and emotion dance music is stereotypically devoid of is here in spades. Guitars crunch distortedly, conveying passion, angst and intensity on the touchingly intimate 'Naked'. Feelings of helplessness and despair are conveyed with imagination, most notably so on the haunting 'Is This Real?' with its shuffling beats and electronic bleeps. Electronica takes the front seat on the writhingly seductive 'Intense' replete with disconnected rinsed spoken interlude, with the energetic 'Darklight' concluding the most memorable debut I've ever had the privilege of hearing. The anticipatory gasping for the dose of Vodka Milk, out in April/May 2005, has only just begun. Psychophile are the dream. Live it with them.

Reviews of the Transition album

Now this is downright dirty, nasty, first-thing-in-the-morning sweaty, furtive and fabulous. This is their first release proper after a hatful of demos going back nearly a decade, and it proves to be remarkably powerful.

Whereas some electrogoth can be a bit too soft (cell) on the rock and roll side, there's a healthy dose of aggression with vocalist Lucy Pointycat (uh-uh) raging against a backdrop of keyboards, guitars and occasional bass.

It's pedal-to-the-goth-metal, with touches of Diamanda Galas vocally, and a few extra goth points for the Ultra Vivid Scene cover. They can rock when they want to - a couple of times Psychophile touch upon the rock vein ('Invocation'), and get all dancey on your ass ('Sciagraphy'). Hell, on 'For Her' it's full space-rock alert.

The more I play the more I like, the more I find new things to listen to. And every time I do, I feel that little bit dirrtier.......

This debut album has the most interesting style I've come across for quite some time. Along with - and sometimes on top of - the electro sound I expected, there are haunting classical melodies. Further, the vocal lines, both in terms of their delivery and note-progressions, are sometimes very reminiscent of the sort you find in opera, and the rest of the time they resemble those in musicals! But the product formed from this strange combination of ingredients turns out to be delicious. You've no option of track-hopping or using this as background noise, since each track is very compelling: you're not quite sure what will happen next in any song. Whatever it is, you can sure it'll be nice! There's a lot of variety in the thirteen songs: there's driving dance tracks with a rather Chaos Enginey feel, music your parents might enjoy too, and several numbers that reconcile these extremes at a range of points. I was delighted... it's excellent!

After some limited edition self-released CDs, this is the first commercial release from Brighton's Psychophile. Holding a very recognisable eccentric female voice and a unique sound, Psychophile stands out. Their sound is not pure rock nor pure electronic, but a mixture of different elements. Lucy's voice reminds me of Ataraxia, the music refers to old-school gothic rock. If you like powerful danceable gothic music, I suggest you check out this band.

Sounding like a total mess to the virgin ear, Psychophile's first album - a bit like one of those magic eye puzzles, I expect, were I one of the buggers who can do them - all comes into focus on a second listen, to prove there is some order to the chaos. Roaming through ten different genres and tempos in each four minute epic of pomp and pretension, it's like a gothic Bohemian Rhapsody, only a whole album's worth of it. Soaring the heights of grandiose pop one second and diving the depths of claustrophobic electronica and breakbeats the next, it's largely frontwoman Lucy's schizophrenic voice which initiates the tantrums and mood swings. Possessing a vocal range that goes from angelically classic and operatic to witchy Diamanda Galas cackles, she is yet always emotion-laden and fascinatingly different. Despite all the unexpected and unusual influences hodge-podged together, its heart is resolutely Gothic (do you need any proof with titles like 'Visions Images and Dreams' and 'Darklight'?), with a darkly ethereal feel pervading the whole thing.

Transition is a fitting name for this 13 song disc full of minor and diminished chord progressions that give the music a haunting, tense overhead, which is then stretched even tighter by the bombast guitar that seems to accent and push the beautiful gothic majesty that is the signature of vocalist Lucy Pointycat. There is much ambience and psychedelic flavor here as the underground hit 'Mirrors' reaches sonic heights through the verse, then delivers a dissonant chorus with power chords and a stronger percussion strike. A couple of times Psychophile touch upon the rock vein ('Invocation', 'Darklight', 'Mercy Seat') and pure underground dance, like the fuzzed out 'Sciagraphy' with its angry diva drive. It's totally cool though when they go psychedelic, check out how they reach for continuance on 'For Her'. Yet, they excel the best when they combine all factions into up-tempo ambient dance and go otherworld ('Vice Girl'), and so on the tight 'Surplus'. If you're totally into trippin' balls, listen to 'Horrowshow', a number that could be on anyone's spooky movie soundtrack. Put all this together, you've got one unqiue, wide-ranging and far-reaching set of music.

'Invocation' is a delightfully stampy thing with Lucy in the role of Lady Macbeth waving a gin bottle around, 'Intense' is a wonderfully filleted mechanoid vigilante hybrid, scrabbling along, and the torment of 'Sciagraphy' gets highly dramatic, either sweet or seething.

'Surplus' is a total delight, 'Illumination' gets weirdly droopy, 'Horrorshow' is harsh and strange, and 'Darklight' quite seriously is the best thing The Banshees never wrote.

It's easy to be distracted by the fact that Psychophile programmer Mat Hook once turned down an invitation to join the nascent Radiohead, and that, onstage, singer Lucy Pointycat gets so carried away that she often manages to fall out of her bra. Concentrate on the music, and what you'll find is an extended homage to the bedsit-land occupied by Soft Cell, a style that recalls Marlene Dietrich fronting Black Box Recorder. When it toughens up, as on 'Invocation', the ghost of a rejuvenated Siouxsie Sioux comes to the party, with sizzling synth beats and hypnotic arrhythmia in tow. These diversions ensure that Transition doesn't outstay its welcome, making it an ideal refuge for lovers of post-modern beat-freaks.

Brighton outfit Psychophile blend the rock and electro beautifully with darkwave on their first proper album, Transition. Lucy's powerful vocals darken the already sinister programming while the chunky electric guitars add a fuel-injected punch to what would ultimately be electro pop. The outcome is a creepy but catchy blend of dark electro rock. As with many of the bands on the Wasp Factory roster, members from the WF clan have lent a helping hand with this album. Listen very carefully and you'll hear the Chaos Engine's former bassist Vere Kervorkian grinding away on two tracks, the whole thing's been mixed by Lee H, while Freudstein's David Else has mastered the album. If ever there were a quality stamp for underground music, this album bears it!

Rating: 8/10

Psychophile are veterans of the UK underground darkwave scene. This, their first full album on Wasp Factory, has been years in the making but well worth the wait! Pounding rhythm guitars interlaced with industrial dance keyboards, overlayed with Lucy Pointycat's mesmerizing female vocals make this a stunning listen, reminiscent of Delerium, Collide & Swarf!

The stand-out point of Psychophile is the elasticized stretchy voice of frontwoman Lucy Pointycat, sometimes sounding half-hearted as though she just got out of bed and throwing the voice around like it's to early too put to much effort into it. Don't get me wrong this is not a bad thing: it works beautifully. Stand-out tracks for me: 'Visions Images and Dreams', 'Mirrors'. Overall, a great gothic sound. Would I go back for more? Oh yes.

A blast of retrogothtronic e-music is highlighted by the bold vocals of Lucy Pointycat (when I say 'retro', I'm getting a Yazz-like vibe, though often rather more revved-up). Lucy's usually-throaty voice hits its higher ranges during her operatic turns through the thumping ethereal-rock of 'Mirrors'... nice! Powerful 'Vice Girl' juggles soft electrosymphonics and pounding dancefloorisms, as seductive words entwine the surging streams.

Jangling (electric bazouki?) strings add an additional texture to romping, stomping 'Surplus', while more heavily effected words creep in. Somberly lovely ballad 'Illumination' shines with dark theatricality amid beatless synth-orchestral flows and layered vocal strands. Bass-pulsing instrumental 'Horrorshow' provides a creepy intro to gust-to-a-torrent 'Darklight', an epic of danceable fury. Transition doesn't necessarily add anything different to the genres within, but does its thing with much gusto. I had fun!

The Wasp Factory Recordings label really bribes you with strange bands. After DeathBoy, the English band Psychophile is yet another one whose sound is hard to describe. Short band history: in 1992 the first demo Spiderstyle was released, which was then followed by three more. However, their official debut CD was not released until now in 2003. The press release describes the music of this trio (plus The Mog, their talking cardboard cat) surrounding eccentric singer Lucy Pointycat as dark psychopop, which really says nothing or everything.

Eventually, I have decided not to file this album under 'metal' although there are some rather heavy guitar bits on it. These guitars are however blended in with the keyboards and the expressive vocals. Lucy's voice is varied: from slightly gravelly Siouxie style vocals to opera-like singing, everything is included - with the ratio being about 70:30. Techno beats and 80s keyboards are added on top which gives the whole thing a darkwave feel. Every now and then one is reminded of a gothic version of The Prodigy ('Invocation'), and then also Nightwish as an electro band ('Illumination'). Most of it is driving and danceworthy but celestial moments are also represented on this album.

I know that my description of this album will not be true to what their music is really like, and people interested in this album should listen to it for themselves. I really like Transition since this is something that sounds new and has technical perfection. If you like a charged environment of guitars and synths, Transition will give you an enjoyable and interesting musical adventure.

It's difficult knowing where to place Psychophile. Such a broad cross-section of musical styles can make a reviewer's job a complete nightmare, but can be very pleasing for the listening audience.

And that's what we have on offer here – styles such as Goth, Rock and EBM all merging to create a distinct sound that is fairly easy to get into.

Dominant and forceful female vocals lead the music along nicely - you can't help but listen to what's being sung here. I'm immediately reminded of Alison Moyet (of Yazoo fame, or am I showing my age here?), such is the passion, richness and determination behind the singing.

As for the tunes that accompany this singing, it shifts from synth-driven and electronic bass-beat rich tracks, to goth-rock laden numbers with no real effort at all. Heck, sometimes this change occurs mid track, and the change is not even noticeable. Kudos to the band for that then!

There's the occasional sample to lend more to the EBM feel of the album, but these are thankfully few and far between.

My only criticism of this release would be the vocal scales the singing tries to reach – at the middle and lower ranges the singing is fine. However, as the higher notes are aimed for, the harmony is stretched just a little too far to make it comfortable. I'd avoid this or future releases as this just does not work well, and has you reaching for the 'skip' button as the hairs on the back of your neck rise.

As already mentioned, the music is accessible, and the tunes easy to get into – 'Darklight' is a prime example of this, the electronic loops mixing with electronic rhythm guitars well. Overall, this is a good release. Given a bit more polishing on the sound front and vocals, this could be a great release. Here's looking forward to the next offering from Psychophile!

Rating: 3/4

Here's a paradox. Psychophile have been around in various incarnations since the early 90s. The line-up has changed umpteen times, to the point where if you go to a Psychophile gig today, none of the people on stage are original members of the band. Over the years, Psychophile have released a bewildering number of cassettes, CD-Rs and suchlike self-produced material - and yet, this is their debut album. Or, at any rate, it's the band's debut release on a label, the first piece of Psychophile product that isn't the result of DIY efforts. It's possible, of course, to go a long way on the back of the DIY philosophy, but it's hard to build up the kind of critical mass of attention which a label can (hopefully) generate. Now that Psychophile are Wasp Factory recording artists, with a bit of luck and a following wind things could really take off for the band from this point.

The songs here will be familiar to anyone who might have encountered Psychophile's previous DIY releases, but these are fresh recordings which mash together founder-member (and current behind-the-scenes technology controller) Mat Hook's programming with all-new guitar and vocal parts from Smogo and Lucy Pointycat. The result is a powerful, immediate, sound, much of which has a no-messing one-take feel to it. In fact, this album is probably as close as you can get to having Psychophile play a gig in your living room...but without all the flailing hair extensions and spilt cider.

All Psychophile's in-another-universe hits are here: the sparkly pop gem that is 'Mirrors', the raucous romp of 'Invocation', the rock-versus-technology stand-off of 'Surplus', and, of course, the gleefully manic 100mph dash that is 'Darklight'. Of course, it's fairly common these days to find bands who mix programming and electronics with big bad rock guitar - the barrier between 'bleepy' music and, for want of a better expression, 'guitary' music was always rather artificial, and for many musicians never existed in the first place. To that extent, what Psychophile do sits bang in the middle of the modern music continuum. But, of course, nobody does it quite like Psychophile.

The band's full-speed-ahead-and-damn-the-torpedoes approach is faithfully captured here, with the guitar fizzing and roaring, the technology pumping, and Lucy letting rip like someone's promised her a bonus if she can bend the needles on the VU meters. The vocals are perhaps the most 'one take' element of the sound - it really does sound as if Lucy has simply stepped up to the mic and done it. Frequently, you can even hear her quickly grabbing a breath before pitching into every line, something I suspect would have been produced out of the final mix if the intention was to polish everything smooth.

Having said all that, it's perhaps a little contrary of me to note that one of my favourite moments on the album is 'Horrorshow', which is an instrumental, and only a brief one at that. But it's a very neat little vignette; pulses and glitches wrapping themselves around some spooky atmospheres. And then there's Psychophile's version of 'Mercy Seat' - not the Nick Cave song, the Ultra Vivid Scene number of that name. In Psychophile's hands it becomes a dirty epic, a cross between Underworld and Macy Gray. And there are two comparisons I bet Psychophile never expected to get!

The long-awaited Psychophile release on Wasp Factory is now here! Anyone who bought the band's two CD-Rs, Illumination and Psychophile, will recognise a handful of the tracks on here, whilst there are also a good percentage of brand new songs as well. Everything's been tweaked under the watchful eye of Wasp Factory's Lee Chaos - meaning the slickness that was missing from the band's previous releases has now been added. Even my favourite song, 'Intense', has been beefed up to become even bigger and more powerful than the epic it was on their first demo.

Lucy's powerful vocals are complimented by the moody programming and the unusual presence of guitars, which brings a touch of the 'Phile's early live shows to this album. Two tracks ('Surplus' and their cover of Ultra Vivid Scene's 'Mercy Seat') even feature former Chaos Engine bassist Vere Kervorkian.

If you haven't heard any Psychophile before, now is the chance to snap up this CD before they become the name on everyone's lips.

Rating: 4/5

The Brighton electro rock outfit release their debut album on Wasp Factory and what a corker it is! Lucy's powerful vocals stand out against a backdrop of electronica with electric guitars, particularly in the wonderful 'Intense' - first heard on the band's original self-titled demo. The mysterious Vere Kervorkian, formerly of The Chaos Engine, contributes his dark and moody bass to a couple of the tracks on here, whilst extra Goth points are awarded to the 'phile's rather perky cover of 'Mercy Seat', originally done by Ultra Vivid Scene, and taken to a new dimension with Lucy's deep vocals. I recommend that you be the first to tell your friends about Psychophile and snap this one up immediately!

Reviews of our demo releases

Psychophile were the sort of band the scene would have loved when people started babbling about cyber matters in the late 90's, but these days I think they'd appeal to anyone. In fact when you think how bands started trying to imagine themselves somehow equipped to turn to 'dance' elements in their work in the mid-90's, which led to many a hamfisted synth debacle, it's not surprising Psychophile get noticed for their quality.

... They're streets head of the UK 'competition', standing head and shoulders above the majority of UK Goth because of the songwriting strengths. You'll find real melodies, and real ambition here.

Their album is a delight to the ear. Mat and Lucy's vocals can stretch from chilling highs to haunting lows, while the instrumentation is equally strong....

Psychophile finally hit the button marked 'pop genius'.

... Clearly they are a band with real musical ideas, a singer who can do the real vocal deal - and she makes it seem so effortless, too - and there's a genuine songwriting ability here, which is more rare than it should be in these troubled times.

It's probably the strongest 'amateur goth' (assuming there's any other kind these days) release I've heard for a long while, and I'd say they're better than a lot of 'established' (if you can use that word in the goth scene) acts.

I think and hope we will see and hear a lot more from them in the future. They have managed prove that electronica and a 'traditional' goth sound and tracks can work together. Psychophile are indeed a band to watch.

These guys are at the forefront of the changing face of the goth scene and I can't understand why anyone couldn't possibly like this.

I'd even go so far as to say that these guys are the future of Goth - watch out for them.

LIVE REVIEWS

A review of our set at the Gotham IV all-dayer

Psychophile deal with the dodgy technical situation by flinging themselves at it head-on. I swear they've been on the punk rock pills: they go roaring and storming into their songs at warp speed, a performance so highly charged it makes their recent Whitby set look like a supper club cabaret. Slamming everything into overdrive clearly works. The technical gremlins are kicked into touch and the entire event - which up to this point had been trundling along in a pleasant but rather uninspired fashion, suddenly takes off. It seems there's not much coming through the monitors - 'Can you hear me?' asks Lucy at one point. 'That's good, because I can't hear me' - but little glitches like this aren't about to stop the rampaging Psychophile riff-machine. It's a full-Monty mash-up, an exhilarating dash through selections from the band's new album, and a literal dash all over the stage as both members of the band leap and flail their way through the songs. It's ironic that Psychophile should turn in one of the best performances I've ever seen them play under the technically stressful circumstances of this show, but perhaps all the behind-the-scenes problems goaded them to these crazy heights. Now that we've seen what Psychophile can really do, let's have 'em higher on the bill next time!

Psychophile's Whitby performance reviewed

Lucy and Smogo seem to be bubbling over with energy, and they're obviously not in the business of doing any of that 'holding back' stuff. The set is 100mph from the moment the flag goes down. Smogo leaps about the stage in an assortment of rock god poses, even making it to the drum riser at one point to ironic cheers from the audience, while Lucy unleashes her inner opera diva. The guitar froths and churns, the electronix whap and stutter. Plenty of bands are doing that guitar-plus-electronics thing these days, of course, but nobody does it quite like Psychophile. And nobody else, of course, has that voice. But the curse of the truncated set strikes again, and just when Psychophile are hitting their stride, it's time to stop. They've only got time for five songs, which hardly counts as a warm-up. I'm sure the band could go on all night if they were allowed. They bring things to a climax with a rollicking version of 'Darklight' and then they're gone. A short sharp starburst, and then that's yer lot. We want more next time!

Psychophile at the Malediction Festival

Lucy throws herself into the performance with her usual gung-ho enthusiasm. She lets rip with that glorious voice, and instantly grabs the attention of the audience. Even the twin disadvantages of the opening slot and an emergency line-up can't disguise the fact that there's something special here. Psychophile have naggingly insistent songs, a trademark sound that collides layers of guitar with driving beats and electronix, and in Lucy they have a frontwoman extraordinaire. Within a few songs there's a squad of Psychophile fans dancing at the front - no mean feat at four o'clock in the afternoon!

Other concert reviews

... the band hit the accelerator again and turn in a damn fine show. Lucy's voice is, as ever, the focal point, swooping around the music like seagulls over Brighton pier, while Cliff thrashes and clangs and grinds all sorts of noises out of his guitar.

... First on was Psychophile, whose CD you may recall I reviewed here a short while back. I thought they were good on CD, and they're good live, as well. Mat-the-instrumentalist throws himself around, doing unspeakable things to a guitar; electronix pulse and whirr; Lucy-the-vocalist has lots of stage presence and can't stop smiling (well, there goes the goth image...) Although there's only two of them, somehow they fill the stage. It's a real performance - not in a contrived, over-rehearsed way: they just seem to be able to do it. Very warm, very human... am I talking bollox here? Well, whatever. They're good. If they play a gig near you, go and see them. If you're a promoter... book them.

Psychophile. The mash-up of an amazing vocalist and a madly inventive musician always does it for me, and Psychophile are the latest contenders in that fine tradition. Mat's scrawling electronix and heavily-abused guitar (strings shattering all over the shop) and Lucy's effortlessly powerful vocals are one of the most effective combinations on the poor old goff circuit at the moment.

INTERVIEWS

Gloomcookie (February 2005)

How would you describe your own music?

Lucy: Darkwave bounce-pop with added sweat and hair.

Smogo: A constantly-evolving indescribable mixture of things. Industrial, rock, goth, dance, operatic crossover music. Who knows? Just listen and enjoy!

Where is Psychophile located and where do you perform?

Lucy: Although we live in Brighton we do occasionally like to perform outside our own town! We keep our equipment to a minimum, which means we can hop on a train and travel anywhere. Although generally speaking we prefer to play attractive venues rather than busk in a minging tube station or something! Recently we've done Cardiff, Winchester, Liverpool, loads in London obviously...we're looking forward to doing Whitby and Bristol in the near future.

Tell us about the first time you played live together?

Lucy: The very first time, Cliff was miming keyboards, as he was filling in on short notice. The first time he'd planned to play live, he fell over his own boots, landed on his arse and broke his arm. So naturally he went on stage anyway, with his arm in a stylish pvc sling, but had to mime again. The first time he played guitar was in Bournemouth; a gig which I impressively ruined by putting the CD player on the bass speaker so it skipped all night. Go me.

Who do you think has been most influential on you musically?

Lucy: Frankly, Mat, the founder of Psychophile and guitarist pre-Smogo.

Smogo: I'm into so much different music that I don't think any one particular artist or genre has influenced me. Basically, as long as it kicks arse, I'll like it, and music that kicks arse is what I try to write and play. That said, I did sneak a Steps sample into one of our songs, but Lucy made me drop it when she found out.

How would you describe the type of music Psychophile performs and the direction that you are going in?

Smogo: Haven't we already answered this one?

Lucy: The style of music we play, and the way we perform are quite different. Stylistically, we could be described (and *have* been described) as industrial, metal, goth, trance, emo, EBM, dance, and god knows what else. Performance-wise, we both tend to bound around in a storm of fake hair and boots, tits and arse. Well, the tits and arse bit is mostly me. Mostly...

Smogo: As for the direction we're heading, who knows? The new album includes five old Psychophile tracks that date back to demos that were recorded years ago, and those are all what I consider to be straight-down-the-line, 'classic' Psychophile songs. But the rest of the album is all new and goes off in all kinds of unexpected directions, including contemporary classical ('Sussurus') to harsh industrial grind ('Naked'), uplifting dance music ('Dreams in Vain') and spooky chill-out ('Pigs Pots and Pans'). We also recorded three kind of punky/metally tracks but they didn't really work so we dropped them, but my point is that I haven't got a clue what direction we're going in. The beauty of Psychophile is that we can get away with doing all these different styles because Lucy's voice is so distinctive and unique that she binds everything together no matter what the genre.

You've got quite a strong image and visual appeal. How important do you feel that is for bands?

Smogo: Why, thank you!

Lucy: On the one hand, who wants to go and see a band live that look boring? Why not give people a show? But on the other hand, style over substance is deeply unappealing. You've got to be true to your music - that's the most important thing. But if you can look great too, that doesn't hurt, does it?!

Smogo: Style and substance is the key.

How many people are currently in the band? & does the lineup size ever effect live shows?

Lucy: Two - me and Smogo. And yes (see above - you wouldn't catch us travelling to Edinburgh if we had to take a drummer in a minibus). But if what you're asking is "Do you look rubbish on stage because there's only two of you", then I hope the answer is no! Besides, there's the Mog and his son, Mogo, too.

Your new album Vodka Milk is out soon, how do you anticipate the reactions towards it to be like? & you are having your 'release' party at whitby, are there any plans for that?

Lucy: Ahhhhhhhhhhhh....exciting!

Smogo: I hope people compare it favourably with our last album. In fact I hope they prefer it to our last one; I think it's a better album on many, many levels. You need to approach it with an open mind though, because it's full of surprises. But it's also full of great songs, and it all gels together, and it's really punchy, and it's feckin' brilliant. As for Whitby, we have got something a little bit special planned for our live set, but it's a matter of logistics whether we can actually go through with it or not. If nothing else, then there'll hopefully be a live DVD that comes out of it, which we'll make available via our website to our fans, so your mission is (1) come to our Whitby gig, (2) by the new album, and (3) keep watching the website!

One of the members of Psychophile is also involved in a radio show called 'Radio Psychophile'. How can people tune in to take a listen? and how do people respond to the show?

Lucy: They throw old boots at him in the street and scream 'Belt up!'

Smogo: I don't actually do Radio Psychophile anymore. It was for a tiny local radio station which broadcasts once a week via some other tiny local radio station's website, though half the time the stream's not working and so I did at least one show knowing full well that no one was able to listen even if they had wanted to! If the station gets a proper community radio licence so that they can broadcast on AM, then I might go back, but work on the album had to take priority in the second half of last year and so I gave up doing the radio show.

How would you describe The Mog to people who haven't heard of him before? What role does The Mog play in live performances? & How did The Mog come to exist?

Lucy: He is the Mog. Bow down before him. Worship his presence.

Smogo: Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

Space Junkies (Halloween issue, 2004)

To start out with, where is Psychophile located and in what areas do you perform?

Smogo: We both live in Brighton and play all around the UK, though hopefully we'll get to play in mainland Europe before too long.

Lucy Pointycat: I hate playing in Brighton. The audience consists of all your mates and therefore don't have any respect. They're all thinking of the time they saw you dancing to Temple of Love with your eyeliner smeared all over your face. Give me a nice unknown town where I can pretend to be a rock star, anyday. Especially if there are blokes in flat caps with ferrets in the audience. I love them. Mmmmm, flat caps.

How would you describe the type of music Psychophile performs and the direction you are going in? Your music sounds intense and serious, but you seem willing to have fun as well, what are your music and performance philosophies as a band?

Smogo: I'm not sure; it seems lately that with every new song we write we stray into new genres. I mean, one of our newer tracks, 'Naked', I like to describe as the world's first industrial-opera-metal track (though I'm sure someone could think of an earlier example of that genre!). At the moment, when people ask, I tend to describe our music as electronica-industrial-dance-rock-goth-crossover. The way our new album is coming together, it looks like it will cover loads of bases, from All About Eve-style acoustic balladry, to garage-punk, to Ibiza-friendly(ish) dance.

Intense and serious? Maybe the Transition album was a little lacking in humour, but I reckon the new material will put smiles on a lot of peoples' faces; I find the genre-straddling pretty amusing, plus there are a handful of samples that make me laugh. Lyrically, I think that Lucy covers a broader range of emotions and subjects this time round, but they're still very serious-minded, because she means what she's singing about. We're still pretty intense to listen to though, even if we are having more fun with our music now.

Lucy Pointycat: I write all (or nearly all) of the lyrics, and have never had much luck with happy songs. Besides, it's like saying 'ooh, what a lovely day', just before it starts raining. It's bad luck. If I wrote a song about anything nice, a piano would immediately fall on my head.

It seems in Psychophile you have a small lineup of performers. How many people are currently in the band? Is the lineup size ever an issue at live shows? Does this smaller lineup help with writing ease and ease of booking in the band?

Smogo: The official line-up of the band is Lucy, founding member Mat Hook, and myself, but Mat's really taken a back seat since January 2002 and hasn't played live since then (which is how I ended up in the band, replacing him). He's still a contributor though, and we're still plundering his back catalogue of demos for material that deserves recording and releasing properly.

When we go to play a gig, it's just me and Lucy, and my guitar and my caseful of equipment, and usually my girlfriend Debora does most of the driving to and from. Obviously it's a big help not to have to hire a big fuck-off van to transport the band and kit around in, and if the venue is too far to drive then we can get a train or plane without having to worry about having too much luggage.

When it comes to writing, it's nice that it's just me and Lucy most of the time, as it means there are less people to argue with!

Lucy Pointycat: I've played in larger bands, and believe me, there's nothing so likely to cause an argument as packing up a drum kit. And miking it up. Bollocks to that. My stage requirements consist of boots and makeup, and we can go to gigs on the train. Long may it stay that way.

How would you describe The Mog to people who haven't heard of him before? What role does The Mog play in live performances? How did The Mog come to exist?

Smogo: The Mog, and his newborn son Mogo, are little papier-machι space-cats whose blinking, battery-powered eyes give us a cheap and portable form of additional stage lighting when we play live. They're essentially lucky mascots.

Lucy Pointycat: The Mog travels through space and time on his spinning silver pod disk. Bow down and worship him. And buy him a pint of vodka milk.

Smogo: Both answers are, in their own way, true and accurate.

I noticed that one of the members of Psychophile is also involved in a radio show called 'Radio Psychophile'. How can people tune in to take a listen? What in your opinion makes 'Radio Psychophile' unique in your area and how do people respond to the show?

Smogo: Yeah, it goes out on a Brighton-based station called Radio Reverb. They currently broadcast via a university radio set-up (University Radio Falmer) to a rather small geographical area on AM, but you can also listen at www.urfonline.com. I generally do about one show a month, and I play about 90 minutes or two hours of industrial music, mostly, with small doses of other things I like, such as techno, hip-hop, metal, decent goth stuff, whatever, and then fuck up my words during the links between the records. I'm not going to pretend that it's a particularly unique concept in the world of online radio, but in terms of what gets played on the other Brighton-based stations, it's miles away from the hours and hours of laid-back funky acid-jazz chilled-out grooves that all the stupid hippie stoner DJs play. I might re-think my music policy fairly soon and play more of a mix of the music I'm into, rather than retain the 'mostly industrial' tag, just to make it more interesting and fun.

Lucy Pointycat: Ahh, Smogo's radio station. That bloody old fackophony that I have to pretend I listen to. Joking. JOKING!!!

You recently debuted the album Transition and it seems to have gotten a really good response from numerous magazines. Were you at all surprised by the great response you received? How do people respond to your live performances of the music on this album?

Smogo: Transition came out in April 2003 and, yeah, we've had tons of amazingly positive reviews for it. I think when we first put it out we sort of 'knew' that it would get a good response, because we were all, 'Well how could anyone possibly not like it?', which is how it should be when you've just completed an album. When I listen to it now, I think that maybe it's a bit too polished, but then I think our live shows sounded a lot more polished at the time than they do these days. I was new to the band and so was concerned with musicianship; after the album came out we sort of let rip with our live performances and found ourselves bounding all over the stage (being invited to play on much larger stages was a big help here) and wanting the audience to get pumped, sort of thing! I think we realised that crowds wouldn't notice the occasional bum note or missed chord if they were feeding off our energy and enthusiasm for putting on a manic show. Playing the Gotham all-dayer was the turning point for me; The Damned were headlining, so that was the day that Psychophile – on stage at least – turned punk!

Lucy Pointycat: No-one ever believes I sing like I do. That is to say, people who see me or hear my speaking voice (squeaky), are surprised to find I sing with a very deep voice. I quite surprised myself when I started singing, too. And my mum. She got a shock the first time she heard me singing. A nasty turn – we all had to sit down and have a nice cup of tea to get over it.

Your stage performance photos are very colorful and intense. What do you incorporate into live shows to thrill and involve the audience? Is there anything you do on stage that is strictly your trademark?

Smogo: It's all about the energy, man! Too many 'goth' bands do the dour, miserablist thing, and that's just not our style. It is often joked that if you come to a Psychophile gig, you might see Lucy's tits fall out of her corset by the end of the show, but I have to say, it's not just a joke; it has happened before on several occasions, and I'm sure it'll happen again. I suppose The Mog and Mogo are strictly our trademarks. Them and Lucy's tits. You won't see Lucy's tits in any other band.

Lucy Pointycat: I tend to spend a lot of time on my knees and rolling around on the floor, although Smogo's made my promise not to do that for a while as that's when my tits normally fall out. Smogo likes to strike Rock God poses and pretend to be a guitar hero. Note the key word 'pretend', there. JOKING!!!

What is in the future for Psychophile? Do you have any big upcoming shows you'd like to let people know about? How can people find out more about the upcoming events that you have planned and other band information?

Smogo: Our next big show is the Black Celebration weekender at the Islington Academy, London, on Sunday 24th October. We're shamefully low down the bill, so get there early, but our mates Swarf are also playing so that will be cool, and Noisex and Assemblage 23 are headlining, which I'm sure will also be cool if you like that sort of thing. All the other info you need, about our gigs, the radio show and our forthcoming second album, can be found at www.psychophile.co.uk.

Lucy Pointycat: Playing more gigs, hopefully abroad (free holiday, evil chuckle type thing).

Well, it looks like I've come to the end of the interview! Do you have anything else you'd like to share with the reading audience? I want to thank you very much for your time! Best of luck to you!

Smogo: Thank you very much. Psychophile 2005 muthafuckaz!!! Be there... to witness the evolution!

Lucy Pointycat: Yes dear. Or something.

Bubblegum Slut (issue 13, winter 2003)

Mixing up trad-goth, electronics and er, lyrics about bouncing, Transition - the striking debut LP from constantly-evolving darkwave project Psychophile - is only bettered by the energetic, flashing papier mache cat-incorporating stage show put on by current band figureheads Smogo and Lucy. Before a show in Colchester, both guitarist and flame-haired wailer went where goths fear to tread and ventured outside on one of the hottest days of the year to give Bubblegum Slut a few words on corsets, fire engines and that battery-powered pussy.

Listening to your record, it all seems to be quite strongly based in electronics and programming. How do you go about translating that to a live setting, especially with only the two of you on stage?

Lucy: Well, it's more the other way round really, because obviously we're going to play everything many, many times live before we're going to record it. The way that it happened with the album that we've just released, we were playing those songs for a really, really long time live and we had to actually make them sound half-decent for recording because we were using home equipment based in our bedrooms. We did a demo but you could hear the sounds of fire engines going past and things being picked up on the microphone and we just didn't have the equipment to make it happen in a professional-sounding way. So when we took it to Lee at Wasp Factory's studios, he made me re-record all my vocals, Smogo re-did all the guitar parts, and just tried to give it some decent production values.

Yeah, quite a lot of electronic music does start off as bedroom projects, doesn't it?

Lucy: I suppose so, but we've always done it by playing live and, I suppose, trying to cobble something together. Especially in the early days, it was just us trying to cobble something together that was decent enough for us to play in our set, cos that's always been the driving force with us, the gigs rather than the recording, which has always come afterwards.

Smogo: When we recorded the album there's a subtle balance between the programming and the guitars and that, but I think when we play live we tend to turn the guitars up just a bit.

Your Transition album has been out a while now. Are you pleased with the way it turned out and the response you've had to it?

Smogo: Yes, it's brilliant. I still listen to it all the time, and everyone should go out and buy it, obviously!

Lucy: We were actually talking about this earlier today and I was saying that anyone who's in a band or does anything musically thinks that the stuff they are doing rocks beyond all belief, and they totally 100% think it's quite the most fantastic thing ever played. And I think that you really have to believe that, otherwise what's the point? You couldn't go out on stage and make a record and try to sell it to people by going, 'Oh yeah, well, it's alright'. Because how can you expect other people to have enthusiasm for it if you don't have it yourself?

Smogo: And we listened to a couple of demo versions of some of the tracks from Transition earlier, and the difference is just stunning. I can hardly listen to them now.

Lucy: Certainly in terms of the production, it is very noticeable now. We've been really lucky and we've had some lovely reviews and some fantastic reviewers, and that;s been great. And it is lovely to get that sort of feedback because you think it's fucking ace but you can't expect everyone else to think that, but we have had some great feedback which is really encouraging.

What influenced and inspired you when you were writing Transition?

Smogo: Lucy should answer that; I only wrote one of the songs on there.

Lucy: Well, I only wrote a few of the songs on there, and only two that weren't reworked significantly by Mat, but some of the songs we used were things I wrote way back, even when I was a teenager. I wrote 'Invocation' almost from scratch, and 'For Her', so two basically written by me all the way through and a few with Mat's help, but the lyrics are all mine. Mat (who was Smogo's predecessor on guitar, in case you didn't know, and the one who started the band off in the first place many years ago and wrote most of the songs, or the music at least) has had all sorts of influences in his writing and I won't pretend to miss them because that's the kind of thing he'd say for himself if he got the chance. As for myself, I won't consciously try to imitate anything; it's purely emotional for me. I can't sit down and simply, coolly try to write a track, you know? I'll come back from the pub in a foul mood - or indeed a fantastic mood - and get out the keyboard and it will sort of splurge out.

What about the lyrics? I get the feeling they're generally quite personal.

Lucy: I've got to say that they are extremely personal, probably almost embarassingly so if you actually sat down and read them. But again it comes back to: what's the point if it doesn't mean something to you? You've got to believe in what you're doing. And quite frankly, being able to get up there and tell the whole world about my personal private life and various 'issues' is a wonderful, wonderful, cathartic thing to do. It's been really great from that perspective.

I can't really say that such-and-such a thing influence me any more than anyone else can. You just soak up influences from everywhere, from Apop to VNV to The Mission to Rosetta Stone, y'know, many years ago to Neil Diamond played by my mum, and classical music.

Smogo: You're scaring me now!

Quick chance to plug yourselves here: what can we expect from you, releases and gig-wise, in the near future?

Smogo: As many gigs around the country as we possibly can. And we've written a couple more tracks for the next album and that's coming along slowly but surely.

Are we going to be hearing those steadily creeping into the live set?

Smogo: Yeah, we're going to be playing a couple of them tonight. Then after that, it'd be nice to have the next album written by the middle of next year I suppose, and out in the second half of next year.

Lucy: But I think you've got to take it as it comes, and not just write music purposefully with the intention of getting it onto an album for a certain date. It is more natural than that.

Smogo: I don't know, I think there's a strange thing about second albums. Every band probably has years and years to write their first album, but then you're expected to have the second one out in sort of 18 months or you lose momentum, at least in the public eye and people maybe forget about you.

Who are you both listening to at the moment? Any other bands you'd recommend?

Smogo: Yeah, I'm listening to quite a lot of :wumpscut: at the moment actually, and I'm always in the process of rediscovering my dark and dodgy metal years. The thing I'm most looking forward to at the moment is the new Arkam Asylum album. And this'll just sound like I'm plugging bands on our label now, but Goteki's new album too.

You've got quite a strong image and visual appeal. How important do you feel that is for bands?

Smogo: Well let's put it this way: I wouldn't want to go to a gig where everyone looked like the Stereophonics.

Lucy: I think the music is the most important thing. At the end of the day you want to go and see a band because you think their music is good. You wouldn't go and see the most fantastically-dressed, image-wise band in the world if you thought they were absolutely shite and couldn't stand the stuff they were playing. But at the same time the whole point of playing live, as opposed to listening to a record, is to give people a show. So if that means wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt but leaping around like a mad bastard, that's one way of doing it, and if it means wearing corsets and stupid hair extensions, well then that's another way to do it, which is my preferred method. I mean, there's a lot of different ways of giving people a show. I think it is important to give people something to look at because that's why they're there as well as listening. You know they could go and buy a record and listen to it in their bedroom if they wanted to.

Smogo: This is why we have a 12" high papier mache cat with flashing eyes on stage with us.

Wow, you just pre-empted my next question: who or what is The Mog and how does he contribute to Psychophile's music?

Lucy: Well, he's his own little person and I created him. I made him when I was about 17 in my very first band, as band mascot. He's about 12" high, has some hair extensions, is a cat-shaped papier mache object with green flashing LED eyes. He's got a little tail and he's got a nose ring and some silver whiskers, and there's a complete little fantasy world based around him. It's just me being a bit whimsical and a bit silly really and writing about him in his own LiveJournal online. He goes to all our gigs with us and he has his own little following as well. People seem to like him more than they do us, quite frankly. And his purpose is not only to be our mascot and most important figure in the band, but he runs our backing CDs.

To finish off, if you were me doing this interview, what would you ask yourself and what would the answer be?

Smogo: 'Fancy a pint?' And the answer's obvious.

Total Rock Radio (Natasha's Batcave, 27th April 2003)