The Healing commences with trippy kosmische shimmering and gentle rhythmic guitar riffing. Psyche “Nuggets” garage organ joining as the drumming strikes up a sorta motorik march. Sing-along, campfire strumming then introduces the song’s central mantra. Male and female harmonies chanting together. Hinting at the hushed, high folk of Brightblack Morning Light. Heading hand-in-hand toward a finale of stellar spacey picking. Despite being shaken by big spinning tape effects, and climatic military paradiddles, this debut from Belfast trio Deeply Armed amounts to 6 minutes plus of assured psychedelic boogie, that succeeds in its goal of instilling a sense of inner peace. 

Radioactive Man Keith Tenniswood gives the track a more minimal makeover. Stripping away the guitars and swapping the live kit for softly machined whizzes, whirrs, pops and clicks. Isolating the bass-line, he highlights its Peter Hook / Joy Division-influenced nature, and gradually adds detail, like the ghost of that organ, gated echoes of the vocals and an ethereal music box melody. Sending listeners on a stoned, zoned trip. “O-minded” as Iggy Stooge used to say. For a finale the former Lone Swordsman brings in some synthesised strings that have clearly been pulled from some coveted, cult, vintage, analogue box. 

Super producer Brendan Lynch and Primal Scream’s Andrew Innes complete the release with their radical Born To Go re-imagining. Whacking the dials of their Marshall stacks up to 11, they knock out a cracking, crunchy glam stomp. Strutting their stuff like Hawkwind doing their very best Marc Bolan. Fuzzed, buzzed and totally wired, parading in glittering spandex suits and platform boots. Countering cute `60s girl group backing and handclaps with fiery feedback solos. Head-banging. Rocking out. 

Deeply Armed’s The Healing can be ordered directly from Bandcamp. Fans of Andy Bell’s latest album should definitely take a listen.