One of the best parts of a project like Scratched Vinyl is that every so often, an album will get submitted by an unknown artist with very little fanfare. It will get the obligatory cursory listen, when suddenly it becomes apparent that a real talent has made itself known. Such is the case with PSY/OPSogist’s Auditory Hallucinations. With a note attached that only read “Instrumental Stuff,” this album could have been anything. A brilliant journey through a psychedelic hip hop landscape later, it’s clear - Auditory Hallucinations is a complex and rewarding album.

The album opens with a sample from an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia in which Frank tricks Charlie into taking a bunch of acid, establishing the theme of the record as a unexpected trip. Things quickly take a turn for the weird and psychedelic, first with a down tempo number featuring a simple keyboard melody that gets swirled up in circles of harps, strings, and samples, only to have the melody push through to the other side. As it’s revealed throughout the course of the album, PSY/OPSogist’s real talent is for making unexpected transitions and introducing unexpected elements, and then coercing everything to come together coherently in a short amount of time. There will be a slight moment of confusion and panic, only by the time you realize that you’re concerned about the direction of the music, you’re already somewhere else and it’s incredibly enjoyable and interesting. PSY/OPSogist also does a great job of incorporating spoken samples that provide commentary and transition, but never over does it. He also does a great job of weaving in elements together that might not seem like a natural fit, and making it work in unexpected ways, whether it’s orchestral pop, tejano, classic rock, or glitch - it all comes together. It’s hard to do justice to just how well everything gels, and how many times the tone shifts over the course of this record. At this point, I’m basically doing all I can not to mention the trip that you’re taken on.

There are tons of instrumental hip hop albums that are good, but don’t stand out in any significant way. This just makes is all the more special when you come across an album like Auditory Hallucinations. Each time I think I have a favorite song or moment on the record, I’ll uncover something else and realize just how rich and rewarding it is. PSY/OPSogist has proven himself to be a great producer/arranger with this release, and I’m now glad for the day that I got that mysterious message.