Wild Wild Wets - ‘Time Mutations’
San Diego’s psychedelic torchbearers Wild Wild Wets are back with their latest LP, Time Mutations, and it might be their most dialed-in trip yet. Long regarded as local tastemakers and true ambassadors of the city’s counterculture, the band has been blurring the lines between psych rock, dancefloor hypnosis, and acid-tinged nostalgia since 2012. This new record captures everything they do best: groove, grit, and a knack for making the weird feel irresistible.
Opening cut “Time on My Mind” is a groovy, rhythmic banger — equal parts trippy and dance-y — that sets the tone for the kaleidoscopic journey ahead. From there, the album unfurls with “Sunshine Sue,” a melodic, meditative number that breezes by on noisy guitars, pulsing percussion, quirky synth textures, and an anthemic chorus that feels tailor-made for open-air nights.
As the record stretches out, the band leans into their desert-crusted side. Tracks like “High Rider” pulse with uptempo urgency and soul-searching momentum. The warbling instrumental interlude “Where Your Ghost Becomes An Island” slithers into your subconscious, only to give way to the zoned-out ‘60s-style psych-pop shimmer of “Summer Gone” — dreamy, echoey, flute-accented bliss.
The finale is a knockout one-two punch. “On the Moon” is a sparse, retro-futuristic psych-soul jam with bluesy undertones, while “Disintegrate” sends the album spiraling out on a swaying, propulsive high — pure psych-dance catharsis.
Time Mutations was laid down live at Earthling Studios in El Cajon with the full band in one room. In that spirit, the album captures an immediacy and density in a way that that feels vast and panoramic. While core members Mike Turi (vocals, keys) and Taejon Romanik (guitar, vocals) steer the ship, this lineup sees the sound elevated by Dave Mead on drums, Albert Sanchez on bass, and Jason Crane (Rocket From the Crypt) on percussion, congas, and trumpet.
True to form, Time Mutations feels like a ritual; a mirage, a séance, a psychedelic dance party. Feel free to explore their BANDCAMP for purchase options. You can also sample the album below:
