Mandrake Handshake is a dynamic, shape-shifting collective from Oxford. Its members range from seven to ten. Their lineup includes Row Janjuah (lead guitar/vocals), Trinity Oksana (lead vocals), Elvis Thirlwell (percussion), Joe Bourdier (drums), Rudy Mae Symonds (backing vocals), David Howard-Baker (saxophone/flute/keys), Moogieman (modular synth/keys), Charlie Arrowsmith (rhythm guitar/comet), and Jake Kavanagh (bass).
Having already made waves with two critically acclaimed EPs—Shake The Hand That Feeds You (released via Nice Swan Records) and The Triple Point of Water—Mandrake Handshake now unveils their debut album, Earth Sized Worlds, via Tip Top Recordings. A heady, kaleidoscopic journey through cosmic grooves and hypnotic rhythms, this album cements their reputation as fearless sonic explorers.
The album opens with “Time Goes Up,” an intoxicating fusion of metronomic beats, Stereolab-inspired vocals, and a melting pot of Brazilian samba and 70s funk. It immediately immerses the listener in the band’s eclectic, experimental world, setting the tone for the journey ahead.
“Hypersonic Super-Asterid,” an eight-minute odyssey and recent single, is a pulsating standout, drawing on the motorik drive of Krautrock and the ethereal textures of Tangerine Dream. The track’s hypnotic electronic beat intertwines seamlessly with introspective lyrics: ‘Utopian societies, growing in your eyes like trees, visions yet I cannot see.’ A mesmerizing listen, it epitomizes the album’s conceptual ‘Space Beach’ aesthetic—imagine a cosmic jam session between Stereolab and the B-52s, floating somewhere between retro-futurism and psychedelic escapism.
“The Change And The Changing” delivers a more introspective moment, with a shimmering guitar intro reminiscent of Crowded House’s Weather With You, before dissolving into a dreamy meditation on identity and transformation amid emotional turbulence. Meanwhile, “Barranmode” channels Amon Düül-esque Krautrock with playful flute flourishes and echoing reverberations, its infectious rhythms carrying a Tom Tom Club-like energy infused with Afro-Caribbean flair.
The album’s textural depth is showcased beautifully on tracks like “Charlie’s Comet,” where dub beats, deep basslines, and swirling layers of sound coalesce into a surreal, immersive soundscape. Every song offers a unique sonic portal, yet they all remain tethered to the album’s overarching celestial voyage.
With Earth Sized Worlds, Mandrake Handshake have crafted a spellbinding tapestry of psychedelic wonder and cosmic imagination. Equal parts hypnotic and exhilarating, it’s an album that demands to be experienced with headphones on and eyes closed. Surrender to the trip—this is one sonic journey you won’t want to miss.
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