Japanese stoner rockers Hylko sign with Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records and unveil new single »Green Spa«!

Japanese stoner rockers Hylko have signed with Octopus Rising, the imprint of Argonauta Records dedicated to emerging and forward-thinking heavy music. To celebrate the signing, the band are now unveiling their brand-new single »Green Spa«, offering the first taste of their upcoming album »Rusty Quadrupeds Still Work«.

Listen to »Green Spa« HERE.

Formed in 2020 around bassist Nori, a huge fan of legendary desert-rock pioneers Kyuss, Hylko have built their sound around an intriguing concept: bringing the spirit of desert rock to Japan, a country famously lacking any deserts of its own.

Driven by heavy riffs, thick bass lines, hypnotic grooves and a raw, earthy approach, Hylko channel the essence of classic desert rock while filtering it through their own distinctly Japanese perspective. The result is a gritty and immersive take on stoner rock that pays tribute to the genre’s foundations without simply retracing familiar paths.

The band’s history is as unconventional as their sound. Current drummer TfuckG originally joined Hylko as a bongo player, but eventually took over behind the drum kit after becoming dissatisfied with the abilities of the band’s then-current drummer. To fill the void left by the bongo player, Hylko invited Moock, a djembe player active in other bands, to join the group, and he readily accepted.

After initially focusing on instrumental music, Hylko’s approach began to evolve following the release of their full-length album »The Man Comes Around«. Moock felt that the music needed a vocal presence and began improvising vocals over the band’s instrumental tracks. What started as spontaneous experimentation gradually became an essential part of Hylko’s identity.

For their upcoming album »Rusty Quadrupeds Still Work«, Moock has written the lyrics for all songs, giving Hylko’s heavy instrumental foundation a new vocal dimension while retaining the hypnotic, groove-oriented character at the heart of their music.

The newly released »Green Spa« offers a first glimpse into this next chapter, showcasing Hylko’s ability to combine crushing stoner-rock riffs with their own unconventional approach and increasingly distinctive vocal presence.

Further details on »Rusty Quadrupeds Still Work« will be announced soon.

Courtesy of Grand Sounds PR

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well