Psychic Emperor sees the unique pairing of Darrin Wiener (a.k.a. Plastiq Phantom) and singer Tristan McKay of the group Vells. The combination of Wiener's deft electronic sensibilities & savvy production and McKay's classic melodies and pop song structures has become an exciting new hybrid. Dance-oriented electronic rhythms of a soft and sexy nature intertwine with galactic organic sounds with solid drum breaks from drum-master Jeremiah Green (Modest Mouse) and eerily beautiful vocal lines combined with an eclectic array of instrumentation. This is bionic pop music, with antique pianos & organs, crunchy old synths and thick deep drum machines. Psychic Emperor is bound to please anyone with an ear for sweet melodies, sophisticated songwriting and a progressive approach towards record production. Beats and intricate harmonies swirl in and out of each other, and while the lyrics may get pensive and psychedelic, the songs always come across as spirited and upbeat.

PITCHFORKMEDIA "Tristan Marcum's ether-worldly rising harmonies conspire with shiny melodies and steadily bouncing meters to craft perfectly visceral pop songs..."


XLR8R
"...a refined sense of melody in motion, capturing the lively patterns that surround us but are so easily overlooked."