Temples – Other Structures EP Review

What does Temples sound like?

The very best of British psychedelic rock that honours the past and looks to the future.

The review of ‘Other Structures’ by Temples

Towards the end of 2024, Temples marked the 10-year anniversary of their superb album ‘Sun Structures’ by releasing ‘Other Structures’. This is a peek behind the curtain at four songs and two remixes from that same era. The four “new” tracks were all recorded during the same session as the album and were left behind either due to time constraints to finish the song, or due to the runtime of the album already being considered long.

As with many musicians who do this, what’s been left behind is often just as good as the main event. ‘Day of Conquest’ is a percussive rumble backed with deep fuzzy basslines and Temples’ signature 70s psychedelic rock sound. It drives forward without a true chorus like a rattlesnake, slinking up and down notes and chords at different paces. ‘Ankh’ rattles out celebratory thick organs and a swaggering beat that reminds me of carnivals and seaside towns. This is a single in waiting as it’s catchy, unapologetic, and full blooded.

‘Jewel Of Mine Eye’ and ‘Prisms’ are sister songs in my mind. ‘Prisms’ has a 60s shoop-shoop beat slammed out as a psych-rock track with beautiful flute and vintage string arrangements backing the curious track. It has a dusty desert drama to the guitars, and that cowboy vibe is even bigger with ‘Jewel Of Mine Eye’. Here we have extended instrumental sections where the desert twang of the guitar rings out like an angry beehive. Both are catchy in their own way, but are the slower tracks of the four new ones. The EP then concludes with two remixes of the seminal ‘Shelter Song’. The Robert Been Remix dances up the percussion slightly, and radio edits some of the guitar work for the pop world. The S.L.P. Remix starts with a drone of synth and vocals before turning the track into a tinny electronic number. Think Cornershop’s ‘Brimful Of Asha’ if it was gearing up to take on a synth goth dance festival. Neither improves on the original, but instead offers an alternative lens on the track.

Uncovering four new tracks that are on par with the original material is a great find. ‘Sun Structures’ is an all-time favourite album of mine, which has only improved with age like a fine wine. These new tracks slot effortlessly into the album’s ecosystem and show just how zoned in Temples were with this recording. If you are looking for some of the best psychedelic rock Britain can provide, ‘Sun Structures’ by Temples is a perfect place to start, and this EP is the perfect companion piece to ‘Sun Structures’.

Recommended track: Ankh

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