MP3: Opio x Free the Robots – “Psych Ward”

09.03.2015

Critical Praise for Opio x Free the Robots:

“Free the Robots…taps a dark, psychedelic vein while boasting highly technical hip-hop production prowess.” – SPIN

“Opio’s strengths are found in his flow and wordplay. His cadence is married to each rhythm.” – Okayplayer

“Opio’s ability to utilize intricate wordplay and vivid imagery as a means of putting him ahead of the pack.” – HipHopDX

“Somewhere between the neck-snapping, gritty hip-hop of the FatBeats era, the fuzzy, distorted psychedelia of the 60s & 70s, cool jazz, and the woozy beats scene of the last decade lies the music of Free the Robots.” – Okayfuture

The Song:

Preparing for the September 18th release of their debut Sempervirens album, Souls of Mischief/Hieroglyphics rapper/producer Opio and L.A. beat scene vet Free the Robots share “Psych Ward,” a booming track that journeys through Opio’s mind as psychedelics take him on a stream of consciousness that runs from social and political issues to paranoia. The track premiered via HipHopDX and opens with commentary from transpersonal psychologist Stanislav Grof. “Psych Ward” follows two previous single releases, the RESPECT Mag-debuted “Point of View,” and “Stoned Temple Pilot” which released via Ambrosia For Heads.

“I often feel that people try to find solutions for problems by looking outward instead of looking inward,” Opio explained to HipHopDX. “I feel that self-exploration and self-realization are powerful tools to navigating the complexities of life.” “This track was originally made for an anonymous Psychedelic project I’ve been working on, but on a whim I thought it might be dope if Opio flipped it instead,” Free the Robots added. “It worked, and turned out to be one of my favorite tracks; something that completely stands out on the album, and hip-hop in general.”

Sempervirens follows Opio and Free the Robots’ first collaborative release, The Subconscious Mind EP, which debuted in March via Red Bull, who praised the project as “four intergalactic songs shaped by Free the Robots’ ominous bass-heavy beats and Opio’s syrupy rhymes.” Recorded predominately in a small town in the middle of a redwood grove called Cazadero, Opio and Free the Robots’ forthcoming Sempervirens album is a product of the duo’s time spent along the verdant Northern California coastline. “This time spent away from the chaotic concrete jungles we both live in recharged our batteries and set the stage to create art off of the renewed energy from our inspiring journey,” Opio explains. “I feel like we are both going through a re-birth,” adds Free the Robots, “and with that, we both have been able to create with no expectations; just open minds.”

Opio and Free the Robots will be performing at the 4th annual Hiero Day in Oakland on September 7th.

Listen to “Psych Ward”: https://soundcloud.com/opiohierosom/psych-ward/

Check out the HipHopDX premiere: http://hiphopdx.com/singles/id.31668/title.opio-psych-ward-prod-free-the-robots

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Please contact Michelle or Rory if interested in talking with Opio x Free the Robots.

The Background:

Upon being introduced to Free The Robots’ music while on tour for Souls of Mischief, Opio gravitated towards FTR’s bass-heavy vibe and added his catalogue to his daily music rotation. While reading up on FTR, Opio learned that he not only is he a beatmaker but a food maker as well and when the tour roared through his hometown of Santa Ana, Opio made a point of having dinner at FTR’s restaurant, the Crosby. While at dinner with his tour-mates, producer and composer Adrian Younge and Souls of Mischief-mate, Phesto, Opio and Free The Robots got a chance to know one another. As is turns out, a lot of Free The Robots’ hip hop background had been greatly influenced by Opio, and Opio, wanting to take his solo work in a more futuristic progressive direction, found inspiration in FTR. They immediately clicked. By the end of dinner, they had plans to make a record and here it is, The Subconscious Mind EP.