Prysm are pitched as ‘a Newcastle based psychedelic alt-rock 4 piece, forging rock and roll guitar riffs with disco inspired electronica’ and ‘for fans of The Music, Babylon Zoo, Muse, Radiohead, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’. Which is quite a selection.
After a slightly trippy backwards guitar intro (nothing says psychedelic like a backwards guitar), there’s some swagger to the groove that lies at the heart of ‘Watchers’. The spoken white-rap verses feel a bit out of step with the musical zeitgeist, evoking an early- to mid-nineties vibe, and the strongly melodic choruses unleash an almost Jesus Jones vibe.
All of this frames a song that takes a stance of non-conformity and sticking it to the man in an accessible neo-retro package that’s undeniably catchy.