A Smooth Sci-Fi Jam from Portal Gunn
- BuzzSlayers
- May 4
- 3 min read
A new release from Portal Gun comes through with a bit of a psychedelic undertone brought on by guitars with soft, delicate tonalities, flowing approaches, and all accompanied by vast soundscapes, with synth pads that create a bit of an atmosphere for you to float alongside.
"Alpha Centauri" is a wonderful blend of indie pop, dream rock, jazz, and hints of contemporary lace throughout it.
Those synth pads build depth into the track, adding an amazing layer that creates a more robust yet smooth tonality and warmth.
There's a lot about the tones of the instruments used on this track that feel inviting. I feel like there was a lot of attention paid to that aspect of the track and how they wanted the whole sound to come across.
The guitar work across this track is outstanding. Not only do you have those flowing guitars playing addictive progressions and adding a bit of color, but you also have some great lead guitar work that's also done in a sort of delicate manner, adding to the chill, laid-back vibe of the entire thing.
Those background synths have a phaser effect, and some of the guitars have a light phaser as well, which makes things feel watery and wavy, building on the spaciousness.
I love those jazz elements. The way the drums are performed definitely adds to that because they don't just sit in the pocket. The drums add a bit of liveliness to the track, and I feel like a lot of the rest of the band pushes off of that, in a sense.
There are some great fills and time signatures come through, pushed by those drums, and it really does add to the almost milky sensation the entire song gives off.
It certainly feels like this is meant to be warm but still expansive. It's a bit of a musical journey or escape. You listen to it, and it sort of pulls you away from wherever you are and whatever you're doing, and puts you in a different space for a chunk of time.
It's a little bit tripped out and psychedelic but it's not over the top. The song is very well arranged, and there's something about the performance that almost feels live.
It's a synergy that makes it feel this way. It seems almost like they recorded this track live, in the room, all at once. It's like everyone was feeding off each other's energies the whole time, and that really relaxed sensation is super evident, wrapping itself around you and making you calmer.
The vocals are also very flowing and add a perfect texture to the rest. The vocals have a tone that is complementary to the other instruments. The bass guitar tone, the guitars themselves, the drumming, the keys; all of this comes together like puzzle pieces, and it creates its own feel.
Once you're pulled into that atmosphere, you just don't want to leave.
They definitely didn't leave out any pop sensibility, as you can hear the pop underbelly coming through a lot, especially with vocal hooks and melodies that just stick in your head for hours after the song has ended.
However, I can say it's the entire aesthetic of the song, as a whole, that really grabs you.
This single is kind of a science fiction-style track. Lyrically, it seems to be about traveling the stars, journeying to Alpha Centauri. The storyline is almost like something has been done, and the options for the people on this ship are to either hide forever or go on a mission to save mankind.
I loved this aspect, especially because I'm a big fan of sci-fi in general, and I don't know if I've heard a track that tells the story like this. It's all first-person perspective and is very engaging in terms of triggering your imagination.
Talking about traveling through the Milky Way paints a picture in your head as the song unfolds.
I don't think anyone who listens to this song will be able to stop that from happening.
Of course, this is part of the fun.
So, this is like a science fiction psychedelic rock jam that takes you on a journey, and it's a great time.
I would suggest checking this out with headphones on because it's one of the best ways to soak in all of those warm, colorful tonalities and layers.
I would also check out a previous single released earlier this year called 'Speak To Space", as it sticks to the Sci-Fi element, but takes a little bit of a different direction and turns of the psychedelic pop approach. Bigger synths and keys, and a bit of a harder jam instead of the more floating and delicate approach.
Loads of great songs to chew on from Portal Gun.
Take a deep dive into these tracks now and remember where you heard it first.
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