“Turn on, tune in, drop out.” The classic counterculture phrase popularized by Timothy Leary in the height of the movement based on psychedelics and rejecting norms. Stockholm duo AOP has released their own contribution to the phrase with new single, “Retox Weekend,” a bedroom shoegaze twinkle of a gem with a gracious nod to late ’60s, early ’70s vibes.
1971 Re-Imagined for 2018
I could easily see this song played on the streets of San Francisco during the late ’60s. This has to do with how influenced it is by the feeling of wanting to get away from the humdrum of life. The contemporary layers equally versed with the wavy retro quality is pleasantly surprising. Harmonies melt in and out while the lyrics dream of sunshine in a new, serene place.
Escape to a New Reality with AOP
An endless vacation of focusing on inner happiness is exactly what “Retox Weekend” sounds like. I would like to think it hints at the weekend stretching out a bit longer, just to find what you’re looking for if nothing else. The hazy guitar and soothing electric chord work certainly beg for this type of promise.
A unique mix of Fleetwood Mac and early The Grateful Dead mixed with today’s shoegaze pop is what I get from this single. Capturing such a unique sound has been an ideal lately, and hitting this on the head is AOP.
Spring season is rapidly (and finally) approaching, and just begging for releases like this one. Instead of just replaying the one for an entire couple of weeks, expect more from AOP, coming in the form of two other singles from the band. The promise automatically attached to the sparkling tune promises a busy summer for AOP and further fusion of one of music’s most sonically complex genres.
