Cassette Review: Healers "i" (Ingrown Records)

$6 //
https://ingrown.bandcamp.com/album/i  //
🎧 //

If you look up Healers on Discogs, you'll find this artist linked to another artist who hasn't put music out since 1990.    Is this the same Healers who put out "Secret Show" in 1990?  I don't know for sure, but I'm just going by how Discogs has it linked up.   According to the Ingrown Bandcamp page, however, Healers is a project from Will who, among other projects, might best be known to readers of Raised by Gypsies as being a part of Alosi Den.   I actually didn't realize these side projects of Alosi Den existed until now (Goat Lightning, The Goat, Earth Tones) but I will have to check them out now for sure.

Static skips take us into this deep, dark void to start things off.   Some voices come through here as well, which have that trapped spirit/ghost type of vibe going on.    This just sort of trails off and then these tones come in next which make me feel like I'm sitting near a koi pond.    Drums kick in and then so do vocals and this has a rather trippy feel to it overall.    As it fades back to the instrumental there are plucks here and it just feels like a somewhat breezy but also nice day outside.

Higher pitched vocals now come out through what could be something from the 1990's, along the lines of Porno for Pyros or Blind Melon.   It still has this psychedelic feeling to it, but it's rather easy to get wrapped up in.    The flip side keeps this alive, as it comes out a bit louder, distorted and then this guitar note comes screeching through as well.   Vocals are underneath it all, but you can still hear them coming out through this slow destruction.    Some skips like helicopters and then a more back and forth tone comes through as this seems to be drifting into something surreal.

Vocals slowly sneak back in and there are these dark organs as well.  It turns into this sound of someone banging something and then soft footsteps.   A typewriter comes through like there is an urgent newsstory.  Breaking news! Breaking news!  Samples of music and singing come through in pieces as if the radio station is being changed.   The two blend together now in a certain form of chaos.   Why am I feeling like there is some Zeppelin in here?   Sounds like screams come out and then it maintains a calmer rhythm.    The typewriter persists right up until the end, then a slight bit of something comes out before it's over.

I'd say that this cassette from Healers does exactly what it should and more.   If you have never heard of any of the projects related to Healers before (And shame on you because you should've at least heard of Alosi Den by now if you're on this site) then this would be a nice gateway drug to take you to those other sounds and yet on its own this just stands as such a great trip it's one you must take.  I recommend earbuds and in the dark for optimum experience.