"Psychocastle" by Taraka

"Psychocastle" was the first song I heard by Taraka, coming from her debut album, Welcome to Paradise Lost, which was released in October of last year. There are actually a few songs on the album that I really like (such as “So Happy For You,” “Bad Bonezz,” and “0010110”), but “Psychocastle” stood out to me the most. This is partially due to it containing a riff that reminded me of another song. For a while, I couldn't remember which one, which bugged me. But also, I just really like the song.

"Psychocastle" starts out with the sound of footsteps and a door opening. I assume this is meant to represent walking into the room where it is being played, because as soon as we “step into the room,” we’re greeted head-on by the song. The guitar, bass, drums, and what sounds like distorted vocals all come in at once, kicking things off with a bang.

Structurally, there are three main parts to the song: The verses, the pre-chorus, and the chorus. The verses tone the instrumentals down a bit, but the vocals are coarse and biting, matching the lyrics, which seem to portray someone who is fed up and angry with someone else:

The first verse:

“Feeling so psycho

So get out of my way

You’re in deep trouble

If you mess with me today”

And the second:

“Feeling stuck in the middle

Don’t know what to believe

I don’t get your riddles

So why don’t you just leave?”

The pre-chorus smooths out with vocals that are more drawn out and melodic. That “mystery riff” also adds a bit of serenity to the section. The lyrics are a bit more subdued compared to the verse while still revealing a sense of confusion and frustration.

“I love you, I feel so clear

I miss you, I want you here

I hate you, you mess me around

I need you, I feel so down”

The chorus returns to the harshness of the verse, with the change occurring mid-line. The vocals are harsh, like in the verses, but are more sung than spoken, like in the pre-chorus. The lyrics provide the person with whom the singer is upset with a decision:

“I keep you waiting

Do you wanna drown?

You can keep me up or

You can tear me down

Tear me down...”

Lyrically, the song seems to describe the frustration and confusion that stem from mixed signals. These mixed signals lead to mixed feelings, which are just as frustrating and confusing. I think the instrumentals match the lyrics well in this case. There’s a sense of indignation in the verses, disorientation in the pre-chorus, and anger in the chorus. I’ll be honest though, I have no idea what the title of the song means.

As for that riff that I couldn’t place for some time, I ended up finding it, kind of. It’s very similar to the riff used in another song I like: “Then He Kissed Me” by The Crystals. But where the riff on “Then He Kissed Me” tends to stay in place, using the same four-note sequence over and over, “Psychocastle” plays the riff, moves it down a step, and alternates between the two for the pre-chorus. This dynamism goes against what is expected (at least for those who have heard “Then He Kissed Me” before) and the riff instantly stuck in my head.

Besides the songs by Taraka herself that I mentioned, I listened to some of her stuff when she was in the band Prince Rama along with her sister. From that, I would suggest “So Destroyed (Channelling Rage Peace).” I think she makes a lot of interesting music and is definitely worth a listen.