You Won’t Believe the Kind of Thoughts Nate Mercereau’s Got You might know Nate Mercereau from his guitar work on André 3000’s flute album New Blue Sun or, if you’re a little deeper into the L.A. jazz scene, his membership in the Openness Trio with SML saxophonist Josh Johnson and go-to shaman/percussionist Carl

You Won’t Believe the Kind of Thoughts Nate Mercereau’s Got You might know Nate Mercereau from his guitar work on André 3000’s flute album New Blue Sun or, if you’re a little deeper into the L.A. jazz scene, his membership in the Openness Trio with SML saxophonist Josh Johnson and go-to shaman/percussionist Carlos Niño. If you’re a real experimental ambient freak, you might be aware of his self-released selection of “duets” with the Golden Gate Bridge, the railings of which used to “sing” in the slightest breeze. But with his latest album as a leader, he pushes far beyond even the boundaries of these far-out collaborations. On Fantastic Thoughts, Mercereau, playing multiple instruments including clarinet, electric mandolin, zither, and keys, unleashes a gleaming torrent of sounds and a dizzying array of ideas. The quiet attunement and flexible spontaneity of his earlier albums have been replaced by a lavish, lurid fireworks display. Though Fantastic Thoughts may be flashier, goofier, and more extravagant than its predecessors, it’s still illuminating.More from Spin: Update: Oasis Announces 2027 Stadium Tour Riley Green, Zach Top, Garth Brooks Lead Stagecoach ’27 Big Ears Bundles Genre-Blurring Acts For 2027 Bill Opening track “There’s Something Here …” plunges us into the phantasmagorical welter of Mercereau’s Fantastic Thoughts. It begins simply, with a lilting arpeggio topped off by a harplike flourish. A one-note guitar flutter announces a gathering of intensity, a lurching bassline enters, the tempo increases and the chord changes grow hyperactive. A vocal interlude cushioned by keys briefly calms the tumult before we’re back on the roller coaster, now propelled by an exceedingly pungent guitar-synth solo that leads into burly, arena-shaking chords, all of which sets up a fruity melodic theme that sounds like a demonic version of the "Entertainment Tonight" intro. This all goes down in the first three minutes, slightly less than half the track’s length. There’s not just something here, there are a lot of things—and Mercereau seems determined to chase down every possible permutation. I won’t spoil what happens in the rest of the song except to say that blast beats might be a factor. The sweeping expanse of Fantastic Thoughts owes a clear debt to the intricate prog and of the high 1970s—-think King Crimson and Yes—with a hefty dose of neon-toned 1980s fusion (a la the Chick Corea Elektric Band) thrown in. There’s a mischievous, slightly cheesy excess to it all, like one of those wizard-centric murals stoners used to airbrush on their vans. Thankfully, in a departure from much of the music that formed this album’s mood board, Mercereau cools down when the vibe becomes too heavy or outlandish. “Radical Possible Realities,” with its steady-state hum, sampled birdsong, and slow, aching melody, could be a cut from the Golden Gate Bridge album—at least until baby-elephant keyboard intervals and a glide-heavy G-Funky synth hook get involved. The delicate “NewNow,” featuring aerophone by Carlos Niño and sax from fellow Leaving Records labelmate Aaron Shaw, revolves around Mercereau’s gentle, pitch-shifted vocals and sounds a little like Tyondai-era Battles with conga drums (played by Deantoni Parks). The florid title track delivers another powerful TV-style theme, which Mercereau renders with crunchy power-chord accents and gooey guitar-synth motifs. The relentless cornucopia of Fantastic Thoughts can feel like a barrage. But in opening his formerly meditative music up to a mutated whirlwind of sound and visions, Mercereau has created a colorful new set of possibilities that will surely lead to future transformations and revelations. To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.