May 9, 2002 - Text: Sequential-X Photos: Psy-Harmonics

AOA are a bunch of people that know their music really well. Boredoms bassist Hilah and session percussionist E-Da along with Miya, Shinkichi and Dj Tateyamars form a superstar team of audio manipulators. Their recent album "Emotion Vacation" is a journey into musical improvisation. Drums and leads blend together, mutate together and collapse together in an audio trip that you really need headphones to appreciate at its best. One of the more mature releases ever by Psy-Harmonics. It's really nice to see people communicating through their art. Musical instruments talk to it's other in this release and so better for the listener. For another time the A&R department of Psy-Harmonics has found and delivered to us the best of sounds. Ollie Olsen's team can do no wrong and how could be with such a teacher.

"Zoo Zoo B.B.Q" is like all the animals of the jungle jointed together in an all guns blazing superstar team of musicians. The percussion line is great and so is the bassline. The feeling is junglistic and primitive. Dunno but by me is one of the best audio replications of the noises of the jungle. Bleeps and congas bounce over a repetitive ancient tribe vibe. Fantastic... if you have a nice big garden play this loud and watch your flowers, I am sure you and the flowers will feel quite at home.

Follower "What's This Heat" picks up the rocky vibe again with its abstract guitars and noises. The dynamics of the drums in here are interesting too. "Dolphin Rider" is as you imagined an ambient track. Why all the tracks that have to do with dolphins are ambient tracks I can not tell. What I can tell though is, that this is a nine minute journey into the most relaxed places of the human mind. Listen and let your body loose.

Opener track "Passport For Life" kicks off nicely with warm pulsating frequencies and lovely melodies. The whole chilly vibe continues until the guitars make their appearance clearer. A punk rhythm emerges through the ashes of the fading ambient track and grows into a monster. Crazy repetitive leads and aggressive drumming are the order of the day in this section. After that the track fades back into ambient sweetness leaving you a weird feeling of salvation.

Next is "Quiet Beach Film", a melodic piano line works as an intro for what follows next. Some abstract breaks and bouncing effects set the cinematic mood nicely before we head into jungle weirdness.

Last track "New Born Life Physical Harmonic Reaction" has already made an appearance on the "Experience" compilation. Picking up from the ambient vibe of "Dolphin Rider" this cut progressively transforms into a rocket blaster concluding this long play with the best way.

Overall I am really impressed by this album, it s serious music. One of those little gems that people are very proud for finding out and listening too. Five great musicians improvising with Ollie Olsen and Simon Polinski (ARIA award winner) at the mixing console could only produce an album that would always if anything else sound fresh. Psychedelia in its best form... Pure... True... and most of all Trippy !!!

Tracklisting :

01. Passport For Life
02. Quiet Beach Film
03. Zoo Zoo B.B.Q
03. What's This Heat
04. Relax
05. Dolphin Rider
06. New Born Life Physical Harmonic Reaction

Psy-047 2002 ©.