Supreme Joy

A little while back I featured an excellent single off of the debut from Supreme Joy. The solo outing from Ryan Wong of Cool Ghouls lets the songwriter stretch out a bit on his own. Still rooted in a similar vein of psych-pop as his gig with the Ghouls, the album also explores quite a few tangents within its compact runtime. From the octane jangle of “Body Contact,” to the cold vapors of “She Pants A Garden,” and dry western drawl of “Palace of Orange,” it draws from some of the same wells that have long fed Wong’s impulses, but he lets the impulses to dig into specific sounds lead the needle here. The record is tied together with worn, vintage pop feel — a home recorded mixtape found in the stacks of the thrift store shelves, dubbed over a copy of Donovan’s greatest hits that lets some of the original sunshine peek through the mix.

Wong’s solo set doesn’t work to wrap up all the loose ends, and that’s what makes this a more endearing release. He feels like he’s working out a new direction, trying on accessories until something clicks just right. Wong pushes through the rippled glass pop of his eponymous LP, working through fuzz and foam before letting everything fall down into a slumber for a short, but satisfying closer that’s an acoustic comedown just right for shaking off the smoke rings that settle on the previous seven tracks. The cassette is out now direct from SJ’s Bandcamp.

Support the artist. Buy it HERE.