more from
Art As Catharsis
We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Monoliths

by Turtle Skull

supported by
Richard Thomas
Richard Thomas thumbnail
Richard Thomas Think I've just found my new favourite band! Really digs deep and connects with an ancient otherworldly vibe. They have obviously put a lot of effort into this. Takes some unusual turns, but is heavy as f*** throughout. Like Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve, but properly wiggable.
5Foot4Head
5Foot4Head  thumbnail
5Foot4Head Dreamy vocals lathered in doomy riffs. Mix in a splash of hazy indie pop and you get this masterpiece! Favorite track: Rabbit.
groovybfg
groovybfg thumbnail
groovybfg So I've ditched YT in my search for dope jams. I've wishlisted a few bands, but Monoliths by Turtle Skull? Yeah this was the one album I gave a full listen knowing the entire time I was purchasing. In fact I would have bought it after "leaves" but I kept saying to myself "listen to the next track", and I was NOT let down. I've been listening to a lot of stoner/sludge/psych, but HOT DAMN Turtle Skull kicks so much ass! Def give these dudes a listen, they're so GROOVY! Favorite track: Apple Of Your Eye.
more... more...
/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $10 AUD  or more

     

  • Monoliths 2x12" LP (full spectrum white)
    Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    In collaboration with Kozmik Artifactz in Germany and Art As Catharsis in Australia, we present our new album, MONOLITHS.

    Standard edition Full Spectrum White, double LP, 180 gram, side D locked groove, gatefold cover w/ inside out print and matt lacquered finish.

    Pressed at the legendary Pallas vinyl plant in Germany, often quoted as the best sounding vinyl on planet Earth.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Monoliths via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Sold Out

  • Monoliths tee, raw organic cotton, colour logo
    T-Shirt/Shirt

    A new Monoliths tee range with a colour logo on a well cut tee made from natural raw organic cotton. These are really nice!

    From the shirt makers:
    "Our Natural Raw collection is completely free from dyes, which means that each garment reflects the true colour of the cotton plant itself. The fabric is textured with tiny specks of the original plant, including seed particles, adding to its beauty and authenticity."

    Printed on Stella Stanley Creator tee
    www.stanleystella.com/en- gb/creator-sttu755

    On their natural organic cotton range
    www.stanleystella.com/en-gb/natural-raw-colour

    Artwork by Davey Fenn --> www.instagram.com/treewolfart/
    Graphic Design by Jim Grimwade --> www.instagram.com/jim_grimwade/
    ... more

    Sold Out

  • Monoliths tote bag, cream, cotton
    Bag

    Turtle Skull Monoliths tote bag! Black ink, cream fabric.

    Screen printed on an As Colour Carrie Tote.
    www.ascolour.com.au/1001-carrie-tote.html

    Artwork by Davey Fenn --> www.instagram.com/treewolfart/
    Graphic Design by Jim Grimwade --> www.instagram.com/jim_grimwade/

    Sold Out

  • Monoliths blotter paper poster
    Poster/Print

    Well this is interesting... A wonderful print of the Monoliths album cover on a curiously perforated sheet of paper.

    All printing is done on a Heidelberg offset lithograph printing press using vegetable inks and chlorine free paper, the proper way blotter art should be made.

    *Does NOT include any magical chemical substances

    Sold Out

  • Monoliths 2x12" LP (deluxe marbled sky blue / desert orange)
    Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    In collaboration with Kozmik Artifactz in Germany and Art As Catharsis in Australia, we present our new album, Monoliths.

    Deluxe edition with marbled Sky Blue / Desert Orange, double LP, 180 gram, side D locked groove, gatefold cover w/ inside out print and matt lacquered finish.

    Pressed at the legendary Pallas vinyl plant in Germany, often quoted as the best sounding vinyl on planet Earth.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Monoliths via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Sold Out

  • Monoliths black tee, organic cotton
    T-Shirt/Apparel

    Turtle Skull Monoliths tees! White ink, black shirt.

    Screen printed on an As Colour Organic Tee - 100% organic combed cotton, grown without the use of herbicides or pesticides - GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified. www.ascolour.com.au/5005-organic-tee.html

    Artwork by Davey Fenn --> www.instagram.com/treewolfart/
    Graphic Design by Jim Grimwade --> www.instagram.com/jim_grimwade/

    Sold Out

  • Monoliths gatefold CD
    Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Now available for pre sale… MONOLITHS on CD!

    In collaboration with Kozmik Artifactz in Germany and Art As Catharsis in Australia, we present our new album, Monoliths.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Monoliths via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Sold Out

1.
Leaves 06:58
Have you ever held a leaf be- tween your fingers, lovely whole- some green, pure beauty, message from the trees, wisdom keepers that we need Have you ever thought about what happens when the light goes out, your truth is your reality, fa- bric of time and space is in me Have you ever wondered if the space between is not a rift, if what you see is what you are in- side, the earth is you we are the sky
2.
Rabbit 04:01
A country built on shipwrecks The water’s turning red Here, there, it's a media nightmare Telling stories, we are told not to care How long till we get it right? It won't happen over night You can't bring them here Out of sight out of mind Run rabbit run...
3.
Looking up at the sky or deep into your loved one’s eyes Gazing over the trees there's a common truth we’re ignoring Who is it now we’re at war with? The truth it sounds a bit morbid Taking life through a screen like a heartless machine Freedom doesn't reside in the screen you rely on I am white noise I am the hum I am the one that feeds you I am the weight in your head I am the pleasure and the fingers around your neck I am the bank and the debt Drown in formation Heart and mind inflammation Seems that nobody cares about your thoughts and your prayers How do we now communicate? Ignorance houses love and hate Getting recognition through a screen like a heartless machine Freedom doesn't reside in the screen you rely on I know you're trying your best Feel more, think less Maybe one day we'll get out of this mess
4.
You’re right, I’m wrong Not sure what's going on You’re wrong, I’m right And none of this feels nice I've got one life No money, can you give me a ride? Your soul's benign, held up in your adult mind You're here, I'm there We're going nowhere You’re so uptight Want to believe you but I don't understand why Why? Why do you ask if you don't have the time? You react, I run Not sure what's going on We've gone off track but I wanna have your back No words, just vibe Man none of this feels right This is dumb and no fun and nothing’s getting done Who cares, don't think We all love you and what you bring You're so uptight I think we are the same but I don't understand why Why? Why do you ask if you don't have the time?
5.
Open the window, let in the light The fog has lifted, your room is bright! It's not your problem, it's not your fight Just ‘cause you're not wrong don't mean you're right It's a fresh take, it's a new direction A little self-love and some introspection Find your something, find your heart connection Take back your outlook and control perception Anti-social is vibe deleter Let your keeper go a little deeper In the chains of a deep thought reaper Who cares what you think, just breathe easier I know you feel it, I see you feeling Looking inwards has got you reeling What's the pain that you are foreseeing Your body's able but your soul is screaming Fuck the old way, it's an insurrection Curtain call on this brain deception I know you're thinking, your mind and mine are meeting This life is fleeting for me, can't you see?
6.
Halcyon 04:36
7.
Dawn of my existence I can't see without you there I wonder what brings your heart out for me, yeah I think about you everywhere I’m changing I could have lived a hundred lives Why wouldn't you wanna try? Are you proud of the apple of your eye? Tell me your side Spawn of my existence I wonder how much you care? I wonder if I could have been harder on you, yeah Before I have to leave you here I'm ageing I've been fumbling around with the idea that we're told As you're winding down I'm beginning to grow old I could have lived a hundred lives Are you proud of the apple of your eye?
8.

about

Art As Catharsis are proud to announce the release of Turtle Skull’s second album, Monoliths – a texture-rich record that dances between bone-crushing lows and ethereal highs.

Taking inspiration from Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd and Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Turtle Skull’s blend of warped psychedelia, shattering doom and indie-rock sensibility merges into their own brand of music dubbed ‘flower doom’.

While the final product contains a faint similarity to the sounds of King Gizzard & The Lizzard Wizard, Khruangbin, or Kikagku Moyo, Monoliths is distinctively its own beast. It’s a record that heaves and soars, taking joyous compositions and steering them headfirst into a realm of fuzz and fury.

“For me this album and this band was an opportunity to take everything back to the simplest form,” says vocalist/guitarist Dean McLeod. “I’d been listening to lot of drone, heavy psych, stoner doom, ambient stuff, and one of the things that often unite these somewhat disparate genres is the extensive use of drones and ambient synths.

"This record is about the intimate connection we share with the Earth on which we stand. It’s about the world and your place in it. It’s about looking deep inside yourself and seeing what you find. It’s about life and death and everything in between… and most of all it’s about the pure joy of creation. We are very happy to share it with you."

At the end of its runtime, Monoliths undeniably displays a much more fleshed-out realisation of the doom, psych rock and indie fusion that launched the five-piece into the public eye following their self-titled release. Tipping between heavy and catchy is the strength of Monoliths - the roar of the fuzzed-out amps is counterbalanced by feather-light vocals, creating a contrast as clear and harmonious as sun and sky. For fans old and new, this is fusion at it’s finest – a record with something to offer every listener.

credits

released August 28, 2020

This record is about the intimate connection we share with the Earth on which we stand. It’s about the world and your place in it. It’s about looking deep inside yourself and seeing what you find. It’s about life and death and everything in between. It’s about greed, racism, colonialism and technological destruction. It’s about hopelessness and despair. It’s about self love and introspection. It’s about friendship and the power of shared experience. It’s about life-changing psychedelic journeys. It’s about connecting with the source. And most of all it’s about the pure joy of creation. We are very happy to share it with you.

We suggest you set aside some time to immerse yourself. Remove distractions, get comfortable, do what feels good to get in your zone, use your favourite speakers or headphones, and listen all the way through. Or not, it’s up to you. Either way, we made this record to accompany your journey, in any form you choose.

The bulk of this album was recorded during a week long session at La Cueva in northern NSW with some of our closest friends and family. The rest was recorded in Dan’s studio in Coogee, Sydney.

We recognise Australia as Aboriginal land. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we recorded this album, the Arakwal people of the Bundjalung Nation, and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We understand these cultures share a deep spiritual connection with the land, water, plants, animals and spirits. We pay our humble respects to ancestors and to Elders past, present and emerging.

Tobia Blefari - Percussion (congas, rain stick, shaker, tambourine)
Julian Frese - Bass, piano, vocals
Dan Frizza - Synths
Charlie Gradon - Drums, vocals
Dean McLeod - Guitars, vocals

All songs by Turtle Skull
Lyrics by Charlie Gradon, Dean McLeod & Rachel Pascall

Produced by Dan Frizza & Turtle Skull
Recorded and mixed by Dan Frizza
Mastered by Michael Lynch

Artwork by Davey Fenn
Graphic design by Jim Grimwade

Special thanks to: Lachlan Dale at Art As Catharsis, Kai Bürger at Kozmik Artifactz, Anthony Blayney at Your Mate Bookings, Nick Didia, Bernard Fanning and Ivan Lazarou at La Cueva Recording, Aedan O’Donnell, Matt Toon, Nathan Starchild, Ali Vann, and most importantly our friends, families and partners for providing us with inspiration and love.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Turtle Skull Sydney, Australia

Turtle Skull are a four-piece from the Australian East Coast serving a monolithic dose of psych-doom-pop. Since forming in 2017, they’ve honed an experiential blend of warm melodies and ethereal vocal harmonies over cell-bursting riffs, motorik beats, and warbling drone.

Heavy As Hell out now, album 3 on the way!
... more

contact / help

Contact Turtle Skull

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Redeem code

Report this album or account

Turtle Skull recommends:

If you like Turtle Skull, you may also like: