There’s a special kind of magic that emerges when a band decides to forgo the relentless pursuit of perfection and instead embraces the rawness of their craft. That’s the essence of Talking Machine, the fifth album from Brighton’s The Wytches. This album marks a return to their roots, as it was recorded live to analogue tape, the first time they’ve done so since their 2014 release, Annabel Dream Reader. The result is an album bursting with immediacy and instinct, brimming with a wonderfully human touch. The sound is rough around the edges, saturated with a thick atmosphere, and carried by an undeniable swagger.
The title track opens the album with a striking introduction. “Talking Machine” exemplifies the band’s gritty, stripped-back sound…