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 “This track was originally made for an anonymous Psychedelic project I’ve been working on, but on a whim I thought it might be dope if Opio flipped it instead,” Free the Robots added.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.

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