Love Letter To A Record: Astral People’s Mija Healey On Omar-S’ ‘Psychotic Photosynthesis’

Many of us can link a certain album to pivotal moments in our lives. Whether it’s the first record you bought with your own money, the chord you first learnt to play on guitar, the song that soundtracked your first kiss, the album that got you those awkward and painful pubescent years or the one that set off light bulbs in your brain and inspired you to take a big leap of faith into the unknown – music is often the catalyst for change in our lives and can even help shape who we become.

In this new series, Music Feeds asks artists to reflect on their relationship with music and share with us stories about the effect music has had on their lives.

Here are their love letters to records that forever changed their lives.


Mija Healey, Astral People: Omar-S’- ‘Psychotic Photosynthesis’

Maybe this is an obvious choice but obviously, it’s for all the right reasons.

‘Psychotic Photosynthesis’, even though each time we meet, it’s only for 10 minutes you somehow manage to make the world stop in its tracks, drawing all attention to your simmering baseline which effortlessly builds from beat to beat into what’s best described as “that sick Omar song.”

Not only is Omar-S one of our favourite acts to tour here at Astral People but he’s one of the most heavily listened to acts in the office. This instrumental track sits ever so comfortably in the background of a manic day at the desk or as the perfect track to walk home to on a Friday afternoon. Still, ‘Psychotic Photosynthesis’ best sits on the dancefloor, hopefully being played by Omar himself or, at least, a local legend we’re out to see on the weekend.

This track shows restraint. It’s never pushed too far nor brought down too much, winding its way through a dark path of synths which build and dance off each other, taking you through a plethora of emotions. It’s slow and brooding but not too melancholic. However, there’s definitely something sad amidst the eerie pitched up synths. Constantly drawing on this sense of anticipation, ‘Psychotic Photosynthesis’ constantly plays with your mind, drawing you in before completely dropping away to the constant thumping baseline.

‘Psychotic Photosynthesis’, you’re one of the most timeless loves I think I’ll ever have. See you for another 10 min sesh soon ;).

Love,

Mija

Astral People will be celebrating their 6th birthday with a party in Sydney this weekend. On Saturday, 16th September the good folks at Astral will be taking over two rooms at Sydney’s Hudson Ballroom with sets by some of Australia’s most sought out DJ’s. Catch more information and tickets, here.

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