How time flies! It certainly does when one considers the great departure in sound from the indie-pop of ‘Breathing Tornados’ and latest album from Ben Lee ‘Ayahuasca: Welcome To The Work’, but it only seems like yesterday – fourteen years, in fact – that ‘Nothing Much Happens’ had such a ring of truth about it. Described as Ben Lee’s most ‘ambitious work to date’ and as a ‘sonic document’ of various experiences with the medicinal plant Ayahuasca, the ten tracks presented here sees the Antiopdean edge closer to John Lennon in spirit due to the desire for experimentation and exploration of untapped levels of consciousness. Nowhere is this more evident than the entering through the portal of ‘Welcome To The House of Mystical Death’ and greeted by a shamanic Tricky before opening up into the light of ‘Meditation On Being Born’. There is beauty to be found here with Appleonia and Ben Lee providing dual vocals to, ‘In The Silence’ stretching out an arm to Lee’s past work, whereas the delicate and skeletal nature of songs ‘The Shadow of The Mind’ and more developed ‘The Will To Grow’ continue the experimental journey. It is satisfying to know that artists such as Ben Lee remain willing to push the creative envelope further by taking risks which to others may seem like commercial suicide. ‘Ayahuasca: Welcome To The Work’ was one risk worth pursuing as it is a fascinating addition to a lengthy catalogue of work.