If there is one band that is enjoyably hard to pinpoint or define, it’s The Choppy Bumpy Peaches.

Sgt. Konfuzius & the Flowers of Venus finds the Luxembourgian group concocting a doomy, mind-altering blend of hard psychedelia, gothic post-punk and dark space rock. This uniquely merged sound is perfectly represented by the album cover, with its striking image of a blood-red moon rising over a shadowy bleak alien landscape.

Perhaps the first aspect of TCBP’s sound that one might notice is Julia Lam’s slashing, enticing lead vocals. Her wholly distinctive voice gives every song on the album both a set of fangs and a beating heart.  For instance, on “Sabaku,” her smoky, sensual delivery pushes the already sinister sounding track into a deeply uneasy and intimidating territory.

The rest of the band reaches full flight over and over again all over this record, showing that they’re at the peak of their powers. Perhaps the best example of this is on the thundering “Spacetravel.”

The four and a half-minute track is bursting with aggressive beats, cosmic, reverb-rich vocals and guitar work that ranges from the grungy to the interstellar. It sounds not far from what a fantasy Wolf City-era Amon Düül II and Wolfmother jam might sound like.

Other standout moments on the record include the apocalyptic jam that is “Juaska,” the swirling Agitation Free-meets-Brainticket psychedelia of “Darjeeling” and the spectral “455.”

Before we completely leave the darkness of winter behind, you should dig into the murky world of Sgt. Konfuzius & the Flowers of Venus and revel in its hazy, mysterious realm.

You can get the album as a limited edition red vinyl record, CD or digitally here.

-KH