Review | Flamingods – Head Of Pomegranate

Label: The Liquid Label

Bahrain-raised and London-based psych-rock outfit Flamingods are thoughtful but fun on new album ‘Head of Pomegranate‘

The album was recorded in Atlanta with award-winning producer Ben H. Allen and sees the band traverse themes of grief, spirituality, culture, identity and recovery. 

The ‘Head of Pomegranate‘ album title comes from the Arabic translation of Ras Rumman رأس الرمان; the name of the Bahraini village where frontperson Kamal Rasool’s late Father grew up and a place where pomegranates were once cultivated. Kamal lost his dad to Covid during the writing process, which had a notable impact on the LP’s directions, the band say.

Despite these difficult themes, the album is a fun listen, one to get up and dance to. With funky synth riffs and dancy beats, the sound is reminiscent of 2010’s alt rock bands such as Vampire Weekend and M83, evoking a nostalgia for dimly lit house parties. 

The tracks ‘Dreams (On a Strip)‘, ‘Adana‘ and ‘Drip‘ perfectly introduce the album, setting the mood of thoughtful but up-beat. The album manages to keep up this energy throughout, only occasionally dipping into slower, darker moods like on title track ‘Head of Pomegranate‘, which finishes the album off on a deliberately calmer note.

This is an album to take with you on your commute to a fun night out. It will get you in the right mood to dance the night away – without forgetting your roots.