July 22, 2002 - Text: Sequential-X

1. What happened to Psy-Harmonics some years ago ? Many people thought that Psy-Harmonics was about to close for ever.

We nearly did, as we feel victim to the ill fated choice of economic rationalism by our distributors and investors parent company who happen to be one of the big multinational co-glomerates that dictate the media on an international level. At least this wasn't the first time it happened to us, but we came back fighting and won the rights to our stock, received a half hearted apology, lost a business partner, but gained back our independence and strength of mind to remain in this industry for along time.

It just seemed to be logical step for us, kind of re visitation to our roots in rock and industrial music that Ollie worked in before the techno scene began and incorporating the myriad of futuristic electronic compositions and sounds into it, therefore bringing it into the 21st century.

3. What is the new vision of Psy-Harmonics since its resurrection ?

To go further and explore new sonic possibilities across the huge ever expanding canvas of sound and styles. Not to be limited and pigeon holed into one particular genre but to encompass all. For we are not a 'trance' label to use the term lightly we are a record label and choose to release music that we believe in that has quality and is high in originality.

4. How hard is for someone to bypass Ollie Olsen's quality control ? By being the A&R man of the label, Ollie has the first words regarding what get released and what's not. How tough is for someone to convince Australia's most innovative artist that he is a good musician ?

It's quiet a funny question, as there has been only one artist who we have signed up from receiving a demo tape from and not knowing them personally, which was Grey Area. The core of Psy-Harmonics artists are friends or associates who happen to give us demos that we like...In one way it seems like you have to be a friend to get in the door, but on the other hand if someone sends Ollie a demo that is so unique and original in composition and sound we would release it. In general the demo evaluation is a two tied process, in most cases I weed out the non-generic interesting material to pass onto Ollie who then into decides the fate of the artist. However one must realize we are only a small independent record label with very limited capital and funds therefore we can not release everything we receive whether we like it not...sometime we just have to pass up on material we like as we wouldn't be able to do the artist and their music any justice.

We've just released a double ambient/rock album from our new artist Hesius Dome titled 'The age of Steam' which is incredible. The Shaolin Wooden Men are mixing down their next album which is a fusion of punk & electronics..next year is our tenth anniversary so we are working hard to put together a release that capsulate our history and future. Plus we have a lot more releases planned but more information on them later as they come into fruition...You'll just have to check our news updates.

@ http://www.psy-harmonics.com.au @

Well, Rip Van Hippy & I just played at the Forest Festival in Naousa last month (June) and I'm coming back to play at the Sola Luna at the end of this month which I'm really looking forward to after all the positive feedback from the last gig.

Both titles came to us with the friendship we had built with the artists from seeing them in Japan or bringing them out to Australia to play. With the AOA release, we had a lot more involvement with the whole recording process as the band decided to make the album in Melbourne after a conversation with Ollie & I in Tokyo. Ollie ended up co- producing the album and Simon 'Hesius Dome' Polinski engineered it as the band reflected their own interpretation of what they felt and saw in Australia throughout their music. For the Joujouka album it fitted our current release schedule well and we liked it and Tsuyoshi is a close friend and wanted us release it, so we did. We feel more comfortable in releasing music from our neighbors in Asia than from our counterparts in Europe as geographically speaking we are more a part of Asia than Europe and have a much stronger connection in musical appreciation.

Who knows, music is just music, and should always remain personal to the composer and the listener...Will be more of all styles? as long as musicians are forever wishing to expand their horizons and search out new influences albeit to which genre they are comfortable with, with the current technological advances anything is possible...Music will continue to travel the path of exploration even though many of it's passengers have gotten off at a point they safe.

I'm very fond of Greece, I love the history, food and I have a few really good friends there. As for the party scene it pretty much the same World wide, once you start to play something more experimental or new too the crowd they loose their sense of comfort and feel left out, although the open minded ones will go with it and see where it takes them. Too many people just want to go out for a good night and not be challenged musically, I personally find this extremely boring a I love to be challenged and therefore challenge the dance floor with new sounds. I refuse to be a Juke box Dj who plays the same new & hip release everyone else is..how boring is that.

10. Mmmm. A question that I have in mind for some time now. Do you see yourself as part of the psychedelic society ? What I am trying to say is that do you feel you are in the same psychedelic map as Twisted Records or Blue Room Records or T.I.P records etc. Do you feel that you are still into psychedelic trance or you have moved along and just visiting old friends ?

We never really been a part of it due to our geographic place on the map. For a while in the mid nineties we where more connected due to releasing Psycho Disco, Masaray etc..but as times change so did our network, I'd say we have a stronger understanding and better friendship with the Japanese scene and labels such as Coma as they are more open to the various styles we are into. Although we have many good friends within the global trance scene we feel like we are moving along..I don't now where too but I'll tell you when we get there.