Per usual, I made another great discovery on the Stoned Meadow of Doom youtube channel. What I found was a dynamic album that slides up and down in intensity from mellow, trippy, squishy-like-jelly psychedelic sounds, to loud, fuzzy, distorted riffing.
Boy am I glad to have found this one. This album has become my evening musical adventure. When it’s time to get high and do nothing else, this album is my companion.
Illusionary Reality by Liquify is a psychedelic stoner rock at its finest
Illusionary Reality rocks. Plain and simple. But it’s the album’s notable dynamics that make it a pyschadelic journey.
I listened to this album in its entirey the first time I came across it on the Stoned Meadow of Doom channel. I’d never heard of this band, Liquify. But I let it play while I began drafting the newsletter for Smokey Okies. As I began writing, my brain became mesmerized by the charm of the jazzy guitar rock jams.
I’ve since listened to this album many more times in its entirety, start to finish. This is just that type of album where there’s no need to turn it off once it starts playing. There’s none of that thinking about another good song to switch to, which is common with modern streaming. Always chasing the next song, since anything is at your disposal.
But with this album, the thought never comes up. Once you turn this album on, it will play until it is over.
Recurring psychedelic stoner rock riff patterns
There is definitely a recurring patter of songs with clean intros that eventually blend into distorted, jamming versions of the earlier soft rhythm. But just because this album repeats that formula doesn’t mean it gets stale.
Don’t take this the wrong way. While at first it may sound like I’m comparing this to ‘90s alternative rock, this album is nothing of the sort. There are no vocals, no choruses. Just guitars, drum and bass that capture your mind and reign over it in a trance.
The heavy, distorted parts will at times break into extended all out jams with flaming guitar solos, and peaking energy. They then go back to the formula of tempering down and bringing the energy back to a chill. All in a very stoner rock sort of vib.
This psychedelic album is also not entirely predictable. The third track “Sleeping Dragon” has an almost medieval guitar melody in the beginning before slowing way down and going way chill in a stoned out sort of way before just stopping altogether.
This entire album is full of epic pyschadelic treats. “The Spell of Orion” reverts back to the main formula of the album, but it’s so good it’s welcomed!
For a one-man band, Liquify provides plenty of musicianship. But it’s the overall production of the album that I think is worth rewarding. The entire album just flows from start to finish and is a treat to listen to without interruption.
Best time to listen to this album
This album is perfect for relaxing evenings where you just wanna smoke and chill. At the day’s end, when you are ready to get really high and zone out, do your self a favor and put this album on. Start smoking.
Lay back, and enjoy.
Track listing:
- Crystals Flow Forth From the Sea of Green
- Quest for Eternity
- Sleeping Dragon
- The Spell of Orion
- Sunstroke
- Hallucinogen
- Skyline Haze
- Dreams of Beyond
- Trekking Through the Dawning Wasteland