The Wytches are set to release their new album, Talking Machine, on October 10 via Alcopop Records. Named after Thomas Edison’s nickname for the gramophone, the record is a powerful exploration of technology’s influence on art and society. The album’s concept draws a parallel between Edison’s “Tone Tests”—events designed to fool audiences into thinking they were listening to live musicians—and the current anxiety surrounding AI and its potential to replace human jobs. This profound thematic thread is woven into the very fabric of the album.
Alongside the announcement, the band has shared the new single, “Black Ice,” a track born from an experiment by vocalist/guitarist Kristian Bell to replicate the raw, heavy sound of 60s rock. The new album showcases a dynamic blend of huge, pounding rockers and quieter, more reflective moments.
Of the single, Bell states,
Last year I started working a few shifts at a record shop. There’s so much 60’s music in there to play while I work. A lot of trashy 60’s revival bands from the 80’s too, like The Milkshakes and The Cannibals. I remember putting on a 7” of “Till The End Of The Day” by The Kinks. It sounded so heavy to me. Heavier than modern metal. I wanted to go down that route. Where the sound can blow your head off without using the usual sonic tricks we’ve used before. Black ice was the first experiment with that.
While the band’s trademark unrelenting riffs and slick surf-rock style remain intact, this forthcoming record introduces a new level of lyrical refinement. Bell’s reverence for classic songwriting, from Bob Dylan to Big Star’s Alex Chilton, continues to inform the band’s unique and expanding sound. The band’s Autumn tour is on sale now, all dates can be seen below.
