Roy Jurgens on February 9th, 2023

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Notice to all you fuzzy-faced, daisy-eyed technicolor day-trippers, there exists a new LSD-laced bathtub to soak your head in. Just close your eyes and tune in and drop out, for JJUUJJUU‘s new single, “Nowhere” — a frayed conduit to any and every realm you’d like to visit.

Following last year’s singles “Daisy Chain,” and “Crappy New Year,” JJUUJJUU’s first new releases in four years, “Nowhere” finds band leader Phil Pirrone once again wandering on familiar ground.

Let’s see … There are nonsensical ethereal vocals buried deep within the mix … check … beautiful swirling shoegazey guitar tapestries … check … a driving minimalistic rhythm section … check … Feed your head, indeed. However, there is also a very interesting Easter egg hidden within “Nowhere’s” sunny cloud of psychedelia, the heartbeat of a terrific rave tune. Should one hand this song off to a proper DJ for a proper thumping remix, it could quite easily land within a set at Electric Daisy Carnival.

Pirrone has been perfecting his sonic majesty for over two decades, skipping like a stone through various prog/metal/psych-rock bands — A Static Lullaby, Casket Salesmen and Valmart, before birthing JJUUJJUU a dozen years ago with Drab Majesty’s Andrew Clinco. Since then the band has been a project surrounded by a rotating cast of contributors with Pirrone as the lone mainstay. Pirrone’s day jobs of running Desert Daze festival, Space Agency booking and Moon Block/Desert Daze events, while being a husband (to Deap Vally’s Julie Edwards Pirrone) and a father, leave him precious little time. Hence JJUUJJUU’s sporadic output and touring schedule.

Word on a forthcoming album is still a state secret. The band is playing London’s Wide Awake festival this spring, with some further tour dates to be announced.

The hallucinogenic video for “Nowhere” was conjured up by animator Micah Buzan, who has prior credits with the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Flaming Lips and the Claypool Lennon Delirium. 

||| Watch: The video for “Nowhere”