Local Review: Aunt Philis Disco Dream – Portals

Aunt Philis Disco Dream
Portals
Self-Released
Street: 12.01
Aunt Philis Disco Dream =  Black Sabbath + Jack Stauber

Salt Lake City is home to an underrated psych-rock scene that’s been growing steadily over the past few years. Recently, it has grown enough to warrant its own mini-fest, Honey Days SLC, which kicked off last year. A relative newcomer to the scene, Aunt Philis Disco Dream, puts their own spin on the psych-rock that SLC knows and loves.

Bright colors, noisy guitar and psychedelic visuals create the perfect callback to an era of rock that many think has been left in the past. Aunt Philis Disco Dream’s sophomore album Portals combines all of these elements to bring us an album straight from the ‘70s.

A self-proclaimed “sex rock” album, Portals dives right in with “Trouble,” delivering a meaty baseline and screeching guitar. This six-minute opener takes the listener back to the golden age of rock-n-roll, leaning into that superstar feel.

A notable stand-out track is “Bounce House,” which takes a different tone than the songs before, moving that same ‘70s feel in a different direction. The plucky keyboard and analog vocals deliver a composition similar to children’s television jingles from 20 years ago. 

In its second half, Portals slows its pace, leaning in to sappier lyrics, longer songs and slower drums. The album culminates in a 10-minute track titled “Portals (realms 1-9),” bringing in symphonic elements from the previous tracks to create a proper send-off. 

This album’s ideal listener is someone with a thirst for the vintage and eclectic. Portals is made to throw on a record player with some old-school cartoons playing in the background. Will Salt Lake City be the home of a psychedelic rock revival? If the scene has more to offer along the same line as Portals, SLC is in for a real treat in the next couple of years. –Elle Cowley

Read more synth driven pysch-rock albums:
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