B-Side Guys

Some visions arrive clearest in darkness. Released today, November 15, 2024, Soulganic’s fifth studio album “Phosphene” explores the phenomenon of perception without stimulus, creating 36 minutes of music that illuminates the spaces between seeing and believing.

Opening track “Family Ties” sets the stage for this exploration, featuring Stan Odell Graham’s contributions to a composition that immediately establishes the trio’s new direction. The stripped-down arrangement allows each element room to breathe, with Anthony Rodriguez’s bass work providing both foundation and melody in a way that recalls the best of 70s soul innovators.

“Long Way Home” demonstrates Soulganic’s ability to make minimalism feel maximal. The track builds gradually, each layer adding depth without cluttering the sonic landscape. Here, the band’s vintage influences shine through while maintaining a distinctly contemporary edge.

“Waiting” and “Bear That Weight” form the album’s emotional core, showcasing how three musicians can create the fullness of a much larger ensemble. The organic instrumentation and careful mic placement create an intimacy that makes listeners feel like they’re in the room with the band.

“Pulling Me (Pushing Me)” marks the album’s midpoint with a composition that perfectly embodies its conceptual framework. Just as phosphenes emerge from pressure on closed eyes, the song builds tension before releasing into moments of unexpected illumination. The production here is particularly noteworthy, capturing the warmth of analog equipment while maintaining modern clarity.

“Scotland Yard” ventures into jazzier territory, proving that Soulganic’s reduction to a trio hasn’t limited their musical vocabulary. The track’s complex rhythms and melodic interplay demonstrate how restrictions can sometimes lead to greater creativity.

The album’s title track features Tony McCullough in a collaboration that feels both natural and necessary. “Phosphene” serves as the perfect summation of the album’s themes, exploring perception and reality through a lens of funk and soul that feels both vintage and vital.

Closing number “Yours” brings the journey full circle, offering a sense of resolution while maintaining the mystery that permeates the entire collection. It’s a fitting end to an album that’s more interested in raising questions than providing answers.

What sets “Phosphene” apart is its commitment to both concept and craft. While many contemporary soul albums either slavishly recreate the past or abandon it entirely, Soulganic finds a middle path. Their use of vintage equipment and recording techniques serves the music rather than defining it.

Rodriguez’s bass and vocals provide the album’s through-line, but this is clearly a group effort. The trio’s chemistry is evident in every track, with each member knowing exactly when to step forward and when to hold back. The result is an album that feels both carefully composed and spontaneously alive.

The production throughout maintains a perfect balance between polish and rawness. Like the best soul recordings of the 70s, there’s an organic quality to the sound that can’t be faked. You can hear the room, the air between the instruments, the subtle imperfections that make music human.

For fans of classic soul and funk, “Phosphene” offers plenty to love. The influences are clear – you can hear echoes of everything from Curtis Mayfield to Sly Stone – but they’re incorporated into something distinctly modern. This isn’t revival music; it’s soul music for the present moment.

What’s particularly impressive is how Soulganic manages to tackle weighty themes without losing their groove. Songs about perception and enlightenment could easily become pretentious, but the band’s commitment to rhythm and melody keeps things grounded in the physical while reaching for the metaphysical.

At 36 minutes, “Phosphene” is remarkably efficient. There’s no filler here, no moments where the concept overwhelms the music. Each track serves both the album’s thematic framework and its musical journey.

After nearly two decades of evolution, Soulganic has created their most focused work yet. “Phosphene” proves that sometimes reduction leads to expansion, that seeing clearly sometimes requires closing your eyes. It’s an album that rewards both casual listening and deeper attention, revealing new layers with each spin.

For anyone interested in how soul music can move forward while honoring its roots, “Phosphene” is essential listening. It’s a reminder that innovation doesn’t always mean abandoning tradition – sometimes it means seeing that tradition in a new light.