I honestly used to think I knew what Psychedelic music was. Now- not so sure. Is it Hendrix? Is it Pink Floyd? It’s both of those, but then again it’s also much much more. The boys of Amorphous Androgynous have put together an expansive earth shattering compilation that spans 40 years of psychedelic music in all shapes, sizes, forms and realms. The works of legends such as Donovan and Miles Davis appear within this all-encompassing mix, which goes from the more typical electric-guitar/synth peppered late 60s/early 70s rock tracks to entrancing Indian sitar compositions. The latter appears mostly in the second disc, which I like to think of as the ‘international disc.’ It is here that music of the calmer, meditative tracks appear, a surprisingly pleasant example being a sitar rendition of The Beatles’ ‘I Am the Walrus’ (by Lord Sitar, obviously). For those who prefer their trips to be a wild ride rather than a calm journey, the first disc is packed with plenty of brain-bursting sounds, colors, and smells. Miles’ contribution to the album is one of his less lauded gems entitled ‘Rated X’ – a bizarre, hazy storm of electronic sounds and machine gun snares. Some of the tracks are actually down right funky. The swaggering bass and wailing guitar are pretty much all it takes to drive Can’s minimalist ‘Flow Motion.’ Even the first of the two offerings from Amorphous themselves has a distinct street corner Shaft vibe to it. The second is a Wild-West themed acoustic/electric guitar track that oddly enough appears immediately after their first contribution. Despite the occasional transitional discrepancy, this is definitely a consciousness expanding mix. Amorphous have done their homework, and it is downright fascinating to listen to what they’ve dug up here. The length and scope of the album is a bit much, and it may be difficult for some to stomach a 2 hour and 40 minute album, but every track deserves its spot. Let them blow your mind.
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