For the last ten weeks, Flashback has been running on mail order only, as the shops have been shuttered owing to the Covid-19 lockdown. As with so many other businesses at present, this clearly places the long-term future of the stores in jepoardy, and even whilst we’re making tentative plans to re-open with social distancing in place in mid-June, it’s likely to be a tough situation for all forms of retail adjusting to the new landscape.

However, Flashback also naturally has more than its fair share of musicians in its ranks, and they’ve come together to create a compilation of transformative sonics to respond to the crisis constructively the only way they know how. The result is this compilation, released on Bandcamp for Friday June 5th, which traverses down a wild variety of stylistic pathways whilst always remaining in thrall to the guiding force of psychedelia. Just as the word Flashback so often relates to a third-eye cleansing experience that unites past, present and future, this collection of tracks forms quite the trip.

These 18 tracks from staff members and their friends alike run the gamut from a whacked-out psych jam from Comet Gain to beatific psych-pop (For Breakfast, JC Flowers, Art Rip & The Static Sound) and all the way to excoriating noise (Elevator Fliid, Fuckers In Flames) The sphere of this compendium is as comfortable with prog-tinged indie rock (Dinted, whose video for ‘Endless Truth’ will also be released in conjunction with this release) as it is with otherworldly experimentation (Swarm Of Bees, Samuel Barton).

There’s heavyweight catharsis to be had here from Burden Limbs, Zantur and Trabazik, coruscating beats and technofied shapes from LexLuthorVandross, Sulaco and Nils Hellstrom, cinematic soundscapes from Deathcount In Silicon Valley and Greazor and mercurial rock from Red Horses Of The Snow.

All of these rare delights - almost all of which are previously unreleased and put together specifically for this collection - is available for £5 - or whatever the buyer feels appropriate - and all proceeds from this release will go towards the shop investing in anti-virus protection materials to make sure that when we do re-open the business it’s the safest possible environment for customers and staff alike.

Thanks to Bandcamp for Waiving Fees this Friday.

Thanks to all the Bands who contributed their excellent Lockdown music to this project, without whom…
Download from:
 https://artistsforflashback.bandcamp.com/