Wild Wild Wets have carved out a distinct sound in San Diego’s underground, balancing rhythm-heavy psychedelia with a dark, driving energy that keeps heads moving as much as minds wandering.

Since 2012, Wild Wild Wets have built a loyal following through hazy and sweat drenched performances that feel more like ceremonies. Their new album, ‘Time Mutations,’ might be the clearest snapshot yet of a band orbiting entirely on its own terms.

Recorded live at Earthling Studios in El Cajon, the record carries a sense of immediacy that can’t be faked. Instruments crackle with grit and glow, each part colliding and colluding in a way that feels in your face. Founders Mike Turi and Taejon Romanik hold down the center, but the wider lineup gives the songs extra teeth: Dave Mead pushing the pace on drums, Albert Sanchez grounding with bass, and Jason Crane expanding the edges with conga, trumpet, and percussive flourishes that twist the music into strange, thrilling shapes.

The payoff is a record that works equally well for headphone drifters and speaker-blasting parties. ‘TIME MUTATIONS’ shows Wild Wild Wets in full bloom….and damn they are magnetic and entirely unmistakable.