Infected Mushroom return to their roots with Converting Vegetarians II, the sequel to their hugely successful 2003 album.
Released originally as a two-disc set, Converting Vegetarians marked Infected Mushroom’s fourth studio album and their most successful, fan-favorite LP to date. While the first disc consisted of psychedelic trance tracks, the second disc was more experimental and eclectic and thus paved the way for the exploration of genres featured on their later albums.
Eleven years later, part two serves as Infected Mushroom’s platform for pushing past their traditionally psy-trance productions and into a world brimming with song-based, mid-tempo vocal material that manages to retain its psychedelic edge. The fifteen-track offering is an experimental meditation on expertly layered synths, live instrumentation with guitars and piano, and low-key drum fills, weaving a brooding narrative with a sense of proportion one rarely experiences outside of the cinema.
The lead single on the Converting Vegetarians II is "Fields Of Grey,” an exciting collaboration that debuts vocals from the notorious Sasha Grey. In "Fields Of Grey,” the sound-sculpting duo pushes past their traditional psy-trance productions, delivering a dreamy robotic track that leads with a powerful melody before plummeting into a characteristically layered bass drop. This week, Infected Mushroom released a three-part remix package of “Fields of Grey” featuring renditions from Riot, Au5 and Skazi.
The remainder of the album is a highly creative experimentation of sounds that collectively pushes boundaries and sonically re-defines the future of dance music. Expertly crafted melodies provide a unifying factor in tracks like “Animatronica,” “Feelings” and “Stuck In A Loop.” “Pink Froyd” acts as a stunning tribute to the famed English Rock Band with its carefully carved guitar riffs, emotionally-charged lyrics, and overall drama factor. “Leopold” enlists exotic sounds and high-intensity. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the guys test out minimalist sonics and unexpected noises in tracks like “She Zorement,” “Blue Swan 5” and “The Surgeon.”
Converting Vegetarians II is truly a genre within itself.
Delivering their hallmark intergalactic sounds to the worldwide masses with an average of 120 performances per year, Infected Mushroom's live show is characterized by extraordinary visuals and the creation of an immersive environment. For 2013's "FungusAmoungUs" tour, stimulating 3D mapped visuals were landscaped onto pods projecting psychedelic visuals that became the backdrop for the sound, taking the audience on a trip to another world. With the release of Converting Vegetarians II,Infected Mushroom will be re-launching their sphere tour dubbed “FungusAmongUs2.0.″ With new dates on the horizon, more information will soon be announced on this reconceptualized ultra-sensory experience.
Infected Mushroom Converting Vegetarians II Tracklisting:
01. She Zoremet
02. Yamakas in Space
03. Sense of Direction
04. Animatronica
05. Feelings
06. Pink Froid
07. Demons of Pain
08. Zoan Zound
09. Blue Swan 5
10. Fields of Grey (feat. Sasha Grey)
11. Leopold
12. On the Road Again
13. Stuck in a Loop
14. Mexicali
15. The Surgeon
Upcoming Dates:
10.8 Englewood, CO: ‘Almost Acoustic’ CVII Album Release Party
10.9 Gothic Theatre, Englewood, CO: Animatronica Live
10.10 In The Venue, Salt Lake City, UT: Animatronica Live
10.30 Beaver, PA: Dancing Skeletons 2