By the mid-2020s, the initial 2008 release, originally a self-released CD-R that later found a home on Anton Newcombe’s ’a’ Records in 2012, had drifted into the realm of high-priced rarities. This first-ever vinyl edition on Dust and Memory (a new venture by Meritorio Records founder Álvaro Lissón), provides a necessary physical anchor for an album that, until now, felt as ethereal as its subject matter. Originally birthed in the Minneapolis psych-scene nearly two decades ago, ‘The Lore of Mysticore’ has long existed as a whispered secret among devotees of the neo-psych movement. It is a record that manages to be both fragile and expansive, occupying the hazy liminal space between the pastoral folk-rock of the late ’60s and the wall-of-sound immersion of ’90s shoegaze.
While the band has frequently been categorized alongside titans like The Brian Jonestown Massacre or Spacemen 3, this debut reveals a distinct, almost childlike wonder. There is a base of gentle, melodic psychedelia, but the band treats these melodies as scaffolding for something far more atmospheric. At its core, ‘The Lore of Mysticore’ is a rejection of the high-velocity garage-psych that dominated the early 2010s. Instead, the Minneapolis quintet, led by Jason Edmonds, crafts a world of pastoral psych-pop for a sound that feels lived-in, intimate, and intentionally unpolished. It is a record that rewards the patient ear, functioning as much as a shoegaze soundscape as it does a collection of folk-tinged songs.
The album’s brilliance lies in its refusal to be hurried. It functions as a cohesive soundscape, blending shimmering Psych-Pop with tracks like “10,100” and “Letter Box” that showcase the band’s ability to craft concise, engaging hooks that shimmer through a lo-fi lens. “All Of My Prayers” serves as the record’s turning point, morphing from a gentle hum into a heavy, trippy guitar excursion that justifies the band’s cult status. On the standout “Ballad of the Golden Bird,” the band leans into wordy, prog-infused shoegaze that feels both hypnotic and intellectually demanding. Contrast this with “Hey Kids,” a surprisingly visceral moment where an insistent, drilling organ sound pierces the haze, hinting at a Madchester energy that proves Magic Castles aren’t merely drifting—they can also drive.
The decision to press this onto vinyl is more than an aesthetic choice; it is a tonal one. The warmth of the format serves the album’s sun-drenched drones and reverb-soaked vocals far better than the digital compression of the late 2000s ever could. The accompanying download includes the essential “Cave Troll Blues,” a thirteen-minute epic that acts as a final, mind-blowing descent into the band’s freak-out side; a visceral, psych-gaze assault that balances the gentler folk elements of the LP.
Lissón has curated this release with the same generosity of spirit that made Meritorio Records a staple for new music. ‘The Lore of Mysticore’ is not merely a nostalgia trip; it is a timeless piece of psychedelic architecture. Through the curation of Dust and Memory, this reissue corrects a historical oversight, placing a foundational document of the contemporary underground into the hands of a new generation. It is immersive, intimate, and—above all—deeply melodic collection of mystical symbols and sonic textures that ask the listener to lean in. By finally granting it the permanence of wax, Dust and Memory has ensured that this document of the psychedelic underground remains a living, breathing influence rather than a peripheral artifact.
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Dust and Memory – Website | Bandcamp | Instagram
