Milkyway Lemonade is the recording alias of the Portland, Oregon artist Tyler Johnston. These 12 very unusual, artistically inspired songs are fleshed out with synthesizers, drum machines, guitars, bass, organ, vocal beats and plenty of other noisemakers, too.

The quirky “Magical Mind” begins and brings us back to the ’80s with its retro energy and bright keys, and the nostalgia continues with the buzzing and colorful “Love Bubble,” where dense synth layers won’t go unnoticed.

Quite a few tracks here don’t even break the two-minute mark, including the cinematic and mysterious “Moon Spell,” though “Crystal Spell” spans six minutes of strategic repetition and mesmerizing songwriting. Side A of the cassette (yep, you read that right), exits with “Phosphate Green,” which comes with sci-fi like gestures that seem like they could be from another dimension.

Similarly, Side B opens with “Phosphate Orange,” which blurs the lines of cosmic, psychedelic synth droning. “Mind Scanner” is another excellent tune deeper into the listen, where grooves and soulful ideas creep in, but it’s the 11 seconds of “Ancient Patterns” that sounds like alien tinkering and is briefly intriguing.

“Beyond YR Orbit” and “Magical Body” exit the atypical climate. The former is oddly meditative in its gentleness, and the latter swirls with an unconventional energy that you can’t help being enthralled by.

A very curious affair, Magical Mind Magical Body finds Johnston taking influence from the sort of New Age philosophy found on VHS tapes from the ’80s and ’90s. The songs were recorded in 2020-2021 during the pandemic, and were captured on tape using a Tascam 388, Tascam 424 and 1/4 reel to reel for texture.

Somehow, Milkyway Lemonade sounds dated but futuristic, synthetic yet organic. It’s the sort of experience that initially seems like background music, but quickly becomes a journey that you’re focused, maybe even fixated on.

Rating: B+

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