Ayahuasca: Welcome To The Work

Ben Lee release his 9th studio album Ayahuasca: Welcome to the Work on April 23, his first album since his 2011 release Deeper Into Dream. The title of the album really tells you what to expect from the songs on the album. Ayahuasca is a psychotropic brew used traditionally by Amazonian shamans since the 16th century for healing and divinatory purposes. The tea-like brew contains DMT, a naturally occurring hallucinogen – and controlled illegal drug in most countries. The album is a sonic diary of Lee’s experiences with the “medicine.” The album’s subtitle “Welcome to the Work” refers to the process of discovering what is inside, and the active transformation of turning darkness into light. The album is co-created by Lee and Argentinean -Australian musician Jessica Chapnik Kahn, who features as a vocalist on the album under her musical name Appleonia. The album begins with “Invocation.” Being the shortest track of the album it seems to abruptly finish. “Welcome To The House of Mystical Death” begins with panting with the words “I’m willing to go in” being spoken over it. The song includes harmonies and vocals simply saying “let the light in” repeated until the end of the song. This song is very experimental and perhaps best demonstrates the experience of the medicine Ayahuasca that Lee was trying to convey throughout the album. “Meditation On Being Born” is the longest song of the album, running for 7:47. The song begins with the sounds that ended the previous song. This happens throughout the album, giving it a nice continuous flow effect. Although “Meditation On Being Born” has no vocals, the piano gives creates a very relaxing and peaceful feeling, nearly a song that you could in fact meditate to. “In The Silence” is the first song that features Jessica Chapnik Kahn, and after two long instrumental songs it’s almost a relief to hear lyrics. Chapnik Kahn and Lee’s locals complement each other when singing together as well as singing solo. However the lyrical songs are short lived with another instrumental “The Shadow of the Mind,” which continually builds intensity until it ends up being a mesh of sound toward the end. “The Will To Grow” again features Chapnik Kahn and Lee singing softly over an acoustic guitar, with the lack of instruments making the song seem simplistic but refreshing. “On My Knees” begins with the sound of rain which ended the previous song before the piano and chords start. The song has a long instrumental introduction, with vocals not starting until around the two minute mark. “I Am That I Am” starts off with harmonic singing of the title with no backing instruments. However once the instruments do begin it is surprisingly upbeat, and becomes somewhat chaotic once the piano is being played on top of the drums and bass guitar. “Song For Samael” is nothing special and is fairly repetitive, which is surprising seeing as the song is named after Samael, the angel of death. The impressive drum solo during the middle saves the song. The album concludes with “Thank You,” which once again features Chapnik Kahn. The song has an almost folk feeling to it, giving it a different sound to the rest of the album. Ayahuasca: Welcome To The Work definitely lives up to the words Lee described the album as – dynamic and joyful, meditative and tender, playful and experimental. The songs are fairly different from Lee’s well known 2005 song “Catch My Disease” and definitely aren’t as commercial, so may not have as much success. However the album will appeal to fans of Lee’s work, those who like experimental, instrumental music and those who can relate to Lee’s journey when taking Ayahuasca.