Jess By The Lake - Under The Red Light Shine (2019)

The enigmatic Jasmin Saarela, better known as Jess from Jess and the Ancient Ones, is finally back with her debut solo release “Under the Red Light Shine”. Focusing more on fundamental psychedelic/acid rock influences, this release features eight intoxicating tracks filled with sultry vocals and groovy vibes. If you are a fan of any of her previous projects, you certainly can’t miss out on this one.

Opening with the album title track, we get a Danzing-esque tune with very warm and fuzzy guitars intertwined with playful drums and Jess’s vocals as the central focus. We are always impressed by the amount of feeling and conviction Jess’s vocals have, and this release is even more direct and engaging. The songs in this album nicely shift gears and provide a wide palette of influences like the funky “Freezing Burn”, the trippy “The Wait” and the eerie “Halo (Ghosts in the Flames)” a very loungey track that is quite enjoyable.

Reminding us of bands like Purson and Jex Thoth, “Nightmare” is one of the catchiest songs in this already pretty excellent release. With the album featuring both keyboards and Wurlitzer piano, we are treated to a wide range of funky sounds that are perfectly arranged to create soothing atmosphere like on the magical “Legacy Crown”, a track that perfectly fits with the mood and vibe of 70’s releases. The playful interchange of the bass guitar and Jess’s vocals on “My Hands” makes for a very moody and catchy vibe, which is further elaborated on by the introduction of dramatic guitar leads.

Closing on a very emotional note with the 9-minute tour-de-force “Interstellar”, we are left quite impressed and pleased by this excellent release. Channeling her creative force through Jess by the Lake, Jasmin Saarela continues to demonstrate he is one of the best singers in the whole Psychedelic Doom/Rock revival era. If you like moody music with top notch instrumentation and amazing female lead vocals, “Under the Red Light Shine” is an album you cannot miss.

Label: Svart Records

Release: June 7th, 2019

Genre: Psychedelic Rock

Country: Finland