Behind their reverb-drenched pop/psychedelia, Crayola Eyes are a Jakarta-based six-piece band consisting of vocalist and tambourine-shaker Reno Nismara, guitarists Kendra Ahimsa (aka the highly sought-after artist/designer Ardneks) and Bayu Andrianto, bassist Aditya Hadisusanto, keyboardist Anindya Anugrah, and drummer Ferry Prakarsa. Their self-titled debut album titled ‘Gushing’ — co-produced with Bernardus Fritz — was originally released digitally in February 2023 and is now being issued on vinyl by their new label home, Fuzz Club. As Shindig! wrote on its release, the eight tracks on ‘Gushing’ deal in “insistent, widescreen dream-rock carving a straight highway through your third eye”.
As the title suggests, ‘Gushing’ is intended to capture the band's nature in creating and delivering songs without compromise and restraint. It can also be seen as a manifestation of their stance to be in control of their own music, to create what they want to create. The result is an album of varying styles yet still bonded by Crayola Eyes' fundamental particularity, which makes for an authentic creation that can be enjoyed by everyone. A song of ascension. A wall-of-sound whirlwind. An homage in overdrive. A bittersweet, conversational number. A kaleidoscopic string section. A head-on collision between krautrock and good ol’ rock & roll. A trip to the sinister outskirts of late ‘60s psychedelia. A stripped-down ballad. It's all on there on this deeply engrossing debut.
