Zaireeka 5.1 or The revolution WILL be televised.

(caveat auditor)

ZAIREEKA from Flaming Lips is their experimental release from 1997. It consists of 4 CDs that can be played in any combination, though it is best heard when you play all 4 CDs at the same time. Yes, that requires 4 CD players/amps and a minimum of 8 speakers to achieve the full effect, but believe me, it is well worth it. Grab your friends and plan a gathering.

Do not think of ZAIREEKA as an audiophile recording by any means. This is truly an experiment, where the result of music in and out of phase can create disorientation and confusion in the listener. You see, 4 CD players, no matter if they are the same brand, will not play at exactly the same speed. This shift alone makes ZAIREEKA most intoxicating. This experiment works. Dig it.

(end caveat)


With that said, I have recently acquired a fan made DVD project known as Zaireeka 5.1 (thank you, Joe Bathroom). The first viewing/listening left me at a loss for words, quite frankly. And those of you that know me, know that's a RARE thing indeed. This DVD, to me, reveals the future of music as we know it. As professional as any Hollywood or major label produced product, this disc is probably the richest, most exhilarating audio/visual experience I had since my introduction to psychedelic music. This is transportation music at its finest. It's ability to lift the soul, allowing it to float above the room, and view life as it unfolds before your very eyes is astonishing. It's all here. The good, bad, and ugly. This is black magic kind of stuff here, folks. What it means to be alive! Mayhem. Love. Hate. Beauty. Sorrow. Confusion. Euphoria.
The designers have done all the hard work for you on this one. They've beautifully mixed all 4 cd's together, encoded to 5.1, added visuals from a variety of movies and nature films, thrown in some anime and in the process have created digital rope that will ensnare your mind with a flurry of images and sounds reducing you to a quivering lump of psychedelic jello in the corner. All that's left for you to do is soak it up and hope that you are strong enough to endure all that is has to throw at you.
The designers have masterfully synched up motion and music to the degree that only a true music lover would have taken the time and care to create. It surely must have taken dozens(if not hundreds) of hours to plan and execute. And when they were done, they gave it freely to the music community and the world. Does anyone remember the word utopia? A true labor of love if ever I've seen one. And inspiring to say the least.
With ever evolving technology, we've been given the tools to make what was once only available to a very elite group of corporate shills. And we all know what they did with their power. So finally, the struggle has shifted our way. Balancing the scales and perhaps even tipping them in our favor. Music executives and Hollywood moguls have officially been put on notice. We are marching forward in greater and greater numbers. You see, we LOVE the music. We've dedicated nothing less than our lives to the notes, chords, staffs, and bars.
When viewing this, I want to laugh, cry, and evolve. But mostly I just wanna say, "WOW!".

I have seen the face of God. And her name is Zaireeka.