Gnod, the ever-transient psychedelic musical unit from northern England with over 15 years and dozens of releases under their belt, return in 2024 with a recalibrated sound and a new sense of freedom. Spot Land’s five songs are tender and detailed, unfolding slowly with wistful guitar textures, brushed drums and interjections of lap steel, piano and kalimba.As founder member Paddy Shine says, the results sound like old Gnod and new Gnod at the same time. On the face of it, Spot Land is a big step away from the intense, loud, sludgy offerings found on the group’s more recent studio albums, such as 2022’s Hexen Valley – nevertheless, these too are heady fogs to lose yourself in, with on-record personnel starting at different points and meeting on the same wavelength.