Our record of the week lands on something different this week, as Jon Hopkins leans into his more ambient and cinematic side. The British musician recently released his sixth career studio album, Music For Psychedelic Therapy, and while it does hold familiarity to his previous works, it’s definitely more spiritual and soft to the touch than the likes of Immunity and Singularity. The album comes on Domino Recording Co, who having released records from George FitzGerald, Bob Moses, and Hot
Chip, have also worked with some of the biggest names in indie pop. At just 9 tracks in total, Music For Psychedelic Therapy spans an impressive 63 minutes, with four of its nine inclusions coming in over 7 and half minutes long. It also features 7RAYS on three separate tracks, as well as a collaboration with East Forest, and a bit of an outside-the-box feature from American spirituality teacher Ram Dass. The majority of the tracks are uplifting combinations of piano melody, synth chords, gently placed found sounds, and easy to follow arrangements, and overall the record seems like a natural meeting point between the vast amount of OST work Hopkins has been involved in recently, and the idea of transcendental meditation, a technique he practices in his day to day life.
Where to start:
Tayos Caves, Ecuador iii: Spiritual & mind-opening blend of synths and found sounds
Deep In The Glowing Heart: Big, cinematic, and euphoric synth gem
Sit Around The Fire: Softened piano melodies meet a vocal from Ram Dass
Previous from Jon Hopkins:
Singularity LP (2019, Domino)
Immunity LP (2013, Domino)
If you like this then check out:
Four Tet – New Energy LP (2017, Text Records)
Apparat – LP5 (2019, Mute)
Jon Hopkins – Music For Psychedelic Therapy is out now on Domino Recording Co.