DESERT'SMOKE - Desert Smoke (Review)

Written by: The Administrator

A glorious thing happened about two minutes and 15 seconds into "Fuzzy Txitxu," the first track off the self-titled new album from Lisbon's Desert'Smoke. After lazily scanning the promo email, I had fully intended to let some instrumental stoner psychedelia run in the background as I worked through a hefty pile of admin tasks. And things did start off predictably, with a mellow intro establishing mellow ambience. But plans were thwarted as the track...erupted. There was absolutely nothing about those spaced-out leads squirming over that rip-roaring riff that qualified as background music.

Desert'Smoke were proving unexpectedly engaging. Enthralling, even. As much as I tried to focus on the task at hand, the music made it impossible. And so I focused on the music instead. Rest in peace, productivity. Good riddance.

---

Desert'Smoke are very good at balancing meandering psychedelic tendencies with deeply rooted groove, never allowing a track to amble too far in one direction. They also excel at the art of the gradual build. Take as a prime example the second track, "Gravity Absence," which starts out slow and gentle but, over the course of its 9 minute runtime, evolves out of the comfortable dreamstate into a surprisingly muscular third act. Listening to this track is like laying on the beach as the tide comes in--the ripples tickle your toes and inch up your calves, lulling you into a false sense of security before the surf inevitably rages and crashes down. It makes for an immersive listening experience, and the lack of vocals never detracts from the implicit sense of momentum and intrigue. While no canonical narrative exists, the ebb and flow of the instrumentation practically invites you to concoct your own. 
​  

​
​After the chaos, third track "Blind Watcher" leans back into prog-rock psych vibe territory. This number is lengthier and more overtly expansive. It gets little more forlorn and a little bit bluesier in the extensive soloing, while the drums feel a tad dustier. Much like the prior track, "Blind Guardian" is built upon the gradual build, and I can see this one being a particular favorite for those who prefer the more long-form psychedelic side of stoner rock. And lastly, Desert Smoke closes out on "49th Steam Box," which successfully combines the proceeding elements into a single well-executed package. If three tracks prior haven't already established a certain vibe, fans of the Elder or Domkraft school of immersive riffage will find a lot here to love.

While you will seldom find me wishing that an album was longer, particularly when discussing instrumental stoner rock, I would have liked to extend this particular journey. Desert Smoke clocks in a surprisingly brisk 35 minutes, and I really do feel the absence of a fifth track​. With that said, it's hard to level this as an actual criticism--as a result of the short runtime, I've been playing Desert Smoke through twice whenever I sit down to listen. All the more reason to visit their back catalog.

And, alas, the admin work is still not done. Time to find some actual background music.

Desert'Smoke - Desert Smoke was released March 28th, 2025 via Raging Planet Records. Find it here!

---

Desert'Smoke can be found:
Bandcamp
Linktree