Doomed Confessionary: Pei (Holotropics)
Photos by Jesse Shatkin
Holotropics is a heavy psych rock band based in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. They released their debut album »Nikanash« in September 2024, and are currently recording their next full-length record, which will be released later this year. Holotropics also dropped recently a cover of »White Rabbit« by Jefferson Airplane.
Combining elements of 70’s psychedelia with punk and experimental undertones, Holotropics weave a cosmic soundscape while diving into the existentialism of the human condition.
Since their first EP »Hidden Realm Of Cosmic Knowledge« back in 2022, Holotropics has refined their sound, collaborating with other musicians and incorporating new instruments.
Their debut album »Nikanash« (meaning “Here And Now” in the Nahuatl language) sees Holotropics continue to experiment taking influence from time spent in Latin America and melding it with their distinctive tones and introspective lyricism.
Holotropics are Pei (vocals, guitar), Steve (guitar), Brian (bass) and Chloe (drums).
Can you say a few words about your band?
We’re a heavy psychedelic rock band currently based in Kaohsoung, Taiwan. We released our debut album last year and recording our next one yeyeye
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Staying grounded and trying to focus on the present moment. Social media can be quite overwhelming, too.
What can you be most proud of so far?
I think releasing the debut album last year. I’d never done a full-length record before, and it took a while to bring it into the universe. But I’m happy with how it came out.
What was your biggest regret?
I try not to focus on what can’t be changed. But if I had to pick, probably not getting to see Black Sabbath.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
We played a show in Taipei in March with some amazing bands (Dope Purple, The WAiit, and Urban Fungus). They all played great and we got to meet a lot of nice people.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
The biggest surprise is how more bands are willing to cross genre boundaries and really experiment. It’s cool to have so much diversity of sounds now.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Gojira – From Mars To Sirius
Gel – Persona EP
Complete Snake – Red Hog
Heriot – Devoured By The Mouth Of Hell
Bisonte – Mother Tempest
Dope Purple – This Is The Harsh Trip For New Psyche
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Enjoy yourself.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Dinosaur documentaries.
Can you say something more about current music scene in Kaohsoung / Taiwan?
So, Kaohsiung is quite an artistic city, but there’s not a huge amount of smaller venues here. Still, there’s a few great places to play, and there are some wonderful musicians here. Particularly, I’d like to thank ErZhong & XiaoPing for everything they’ve done for the music scene here. They host jam sessions and if you ever need help with anything music-related, they’re always willing to help.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
We’ll be performing in Tokyo at this year’s Music Bridge Tokyo on April 11th, and we also have another Tokyo show at The Den, Koenji, on April 13th. Currently setting up more dates elsewhere for the rest of the year.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
We’re currently recording our next full-length album, which should be out later this year. And we hope we can play more shows, meet more nice people, and keep having fun doing what we love most.
How can people best support your band?
You can buy our music on Bandcamp – cultofholotropics.bandcamp.com.
We also have shirts for sale!
Do you have any message for your listeners?
I hope you can resonate with our music and enjoy yourselves. Life is crazy, beautiful, challenging, absurd. Be nice to each other, support your community, and love animals, too.
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well