Phantasmagoria in Blue is Mick Harvey’s new album of duets in collaboration with Mexican artist Amanda Acevedo.
 
The album contains 14 tracks sourced from existing duets, songs that previously were not duets, translations from Spanish and a sprinkling of original compositions. Thematically it explores the perennial themes of mortality, love and mankind’s search for meaning as well as an enthused engagement with the enigmatic and mythical. Harvey and Acevedo met several years ago in Mexico City, but it was during 2020/21 that the project burst into life, as ideas were exchanged across the oceans and through the ether. The resulting collection of songs is lush and sweeping in its emotional content and is full of nourishment for the imagination and the senses.
 
As with any transformation, it is this sense of movement that underpins Aspirin Sun and its bold new form, ebbing and flowing, continually unfurling. The tunnels led the Italian-born, London-based singer-songwriter towards something expansive and far-reaching: an entirely new and experimental collection of songs. 
 
This new psychedelic horizon could only be fully brought to life by a band she calls her family. The same musicians she collaborated with on her 2018 outing, St. Peter: Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley, Dream Syndicate guitarist Jason Victor, and bass player Pete Galub. All three musicians brought something unique to the record.