Psychic Bloom: A Psychedelic Spring in Persian Music Scene

Rising from the underground and basements of Tehran, Iran, Psychic Bloom was formed in 2012 to fulfill the long-held ambitions and unexpressed burning desires of a young-hearted Sun child, Aref Ahmadi, nicknamed Hashill.

Aref Ahmadi (Hashil) in Tehran

Despite years of anticipation, Hashill picked up his first-ever guitar in 2009, was soon accompanied by an old schoolmate, and started making music only a few years later. Growing up in schools and a society where he could hardly express himself turned out to be a blessing in disguise, allowing him to shape the core sound of his self-titled debut album. Back in his early teenage years, abandoned and dusty Metallica cassettes found in his older brother’s drawer, along with a few other pieces of music, became his guiding light to survive in “asphalt-jungle Tehran," revealing the path for him to find his way into the world of music and make an old dream come true.

Hashill picked his way through his favorite bands on his guitar until he found a vintage Fender Jaguar in Shiraz—belonging to the pre-revolution remnants of the Iranian music scene—which steered the wheel toward what we know today as Psychic Bloom. Inspired by bands such as The 13th Floor Elevators, Bo Diddley, Captain Beefheart, R.L. Burnside, and The Night Beats, Psychic Bloom is known as one of the few garage bands in the history of Iranian music incorporating elements of soul, R&B, and early psychedelia—dressed with Texan surf rock and empowered by the long and rich history of Persian mysticism.

Making the first album came with hard times and dilemmas due to circumstances beyond Hashill’s control. Considered illegal music in his country, with no place to rehearse, difficulty finding bandmates and equipment, and a lack of music producers with the right perception of the genre—alongside a few other obstacles—he had to sit down and find a way to embark on this journey alone in a small bedroom. Let’s say a bedroom studio, merely consisting of some cables and very basic recording tools.

Artword Designed by Arash Zarifian

In the very early days of the recording process, he found his Jaguar stolen—what he describes as his biggest loss ever—which greatly prolonged the album's release date. Turning shadows into light and galloping toward sunrise are meant to be the cowboy’s only mission, even with a single bullet left by his side.

Seeking an international sound, he recalls, "Lucky me! I was browsing the Burger Records website, and that’s how I realized I could release the album through Wiener!” The idea of recording on cassette was intriguing enough to finally release the first album in 2017. Since the album rolled out, it has drawn the attention of music lovers with a taste for the ’50s and ’60s original sounds, as well as frontliners like Burger Records and Levitation Magazine—both from places known as the home of this period-piece music scene. The Psychic Bloom album is due to be re-released soon on vinyl by Oracle Records from Down Under.

Originally featuring the same colorful Psychic Bloom flower, now sitting in the Mysterious Temple garden of a deeper kind, Hashill reaches back for his pistol guitar to record his second album under the wings of the well-reputed and always-awesome Burger Records. He is spending his days and nights working on new tunes, pouring his soul into what he sees as a spark in his mind.

While still striving to break the borders of artistic freedom, the initial idea of making a second album in Iran emerged from improvising some chords and guitar licks, which subsequently led Hashill to a wealth of first-hand experience—from songwriting to playing instruments, writing lyrics to the recording process, and everything in between. The final and missing piece of the puzzle found its perfect match when Michael Villiers agreed to contribute by playing drums for Psychic Bloom’s upcoming album.

Michael Villiers recording drum sessions

Michael Villiers’ formative experience—ranging from jazz, R&B, and soul to pop and reggae—alongside his professional background with several bands and musicians, such as Curtis Harding and Jeffertitti’s Nile, left no questions unanswered. He has offered his smooth, lyrical drumming style and is considered the best “drifter” Psychic Bloom could have teamed up with for the second album.

Not very far from the first, the second album, which sometime this summer will sit on the shelves of your vinyl collections, is a tasteful music piece with a novel and unique sound, torn off unread from the music history books. Let’s hold back and witness where Psychic Bloom is taking us this time—on the second album trip—a trip to deep secrets of the flower sitting in a velvet painting of Mysterious Temple!