4 Psychedelic, Trippy Songs That Transport You to the Inside of a Lava Lamp

The best kind of musical descriptions hit the sonic nail on the head in a memorable way, and the common online opinion that Texas trio Khruangbin’s psychedelic, trippy songs sound like the music playing inside a lava lamp certainly fits that bill. With their slow grooves, droning arrangements, and mesmerizing guitar licks, Khruangbin is one of many “lava lamp bands” that are gaining popularity.

Whether you call it desert rock, psychedelic shoegaze, or lava lamp music, these vibey artists create soothing and energizing soundscapes. Here are four of our favorite “lava lamp band” tracks right now.

“Two Fish and an Elephant” by Khruangbin

First up on our list of psychedelic, trippy, lava lamp music songs is Khruangbin, naturally. The Texas trio has been cutting their teeth since the early 2000s, but they’ve just now entered the mainstream spotlight, garnering a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 2024. Despite only having three members, Khruangbin creates vibey, trippy music that fills the space like water (or lava lamp goop). “Two Fish and an Elephant” from the band’s 2015 release, The Universe Smiles Upon You, is a great place to start. We’d also like to give an honorable mention to Texas Sun and Texas Moon, Khruangbin’s soulful collaborations with Leon Bridges.

“She Brings The Sunlight” by Richard Hawley

English singer-songwriter Richard Hawley is a master of subgenres, oscillating from cinematic indie pop to rockabilly to psychedelic desert rock. His seventh studio album, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, is a moody, vibey collection of tracks he wrote while taking his dog for walks near Sheffield, England. “She Brings the Sunlight” is a slow burn, building from a distant drone to a raging cacophony of guitars and drums. This is the kind of music that would be playing in a lava lamp that’s been plugged in for a while and piping hot, paraffin wax bubbling up and down the thick, colorful water.

“Mirage” by Glass Beams

Glass Beams started as the 2020 quarantine project of Indian-Australian producer and multi-instrumentalist Rajan Silva. The band incorporates Western grooves with Eastern harmonies, creating a desert psychedelia that’s only exacerbated by their mysterious stage presence. Glass Beams went viral shortly after the release of their 2021 debut EP, Mirage, for their striking videos of live performances that feature all the band members wearing bejeweled, gold masks. Their memorable visual appearance and tight grooves make the band as intriguing as they are vibey. While you’d be hard-pressed to find a song of theirs that isn’t psychedelic and trippy, we recommend starting with “Mirage.”

“Honey Bones” by Dope Lemon

Dope Lemon is the musical moniker of Angus Stone, one half of the sibling duo and “Big Jet Plane” singers Angus and Julia Stone. Stone’s 2016 album, Honey Bones, is a ten-song collection of trippy, psychedelic songs that range from droney and tribal to folky and fun. The album’s title track is the perfect example of lava lamp music with its washed-out vocals, sitar-esque drones, and earworm melody. The production certainly isn’t perfect, but the imperfections in the vocal delivery and jangly instrumentation make the grooves loose in the best way possible. It’s a little bit sour and a little bit sweet, just like Stone’s moniker might suggest.

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