“You can’t live the dream if you’re not dreaming” – The Vacationist “Queen of Light”

Blazing a trail upon an ethereal sea of vibrant colors that dance amongst a vast darkness of unknown is an astral ship piloted by a duo with total disregard for necessity and a longing for discovery. Reading the electric drops and pulsating beats, as if by instinct, Connor Souhrada and Cary Judd steer The Vacationist with a purposeful yet tender touch as it explodes in Prime Colours/Bright Numbers.

Culminating in a ten-track ebb and flow built upon one-part electronic experimentation and one-part pop energy Souhrada and Judd, and contributions on and off record from Sunnie Lynne, descend into an audible trial of captivating measure. If one were to close their eyes and listen to “Queen of Light” or “The Catch” you’ll be immediately transported into a poetic semblance on a dreamlike canvas.

Beyond the depths in which each song stands out for varying reasons there are two that become almost obelisks upon Prime Colours/Bright Numbers. “Elegance in Entropy” builds itself into a Celtic-electronic mesh of rolling hills and valleys rooted in the Launchpad of Enigma. Hints of tradition seamlessly collaborate with modern punctuation in a composition that is mesmerizing. Each step of “Elegance,” similarly to the album on the whole, is one more stride into a musical escape that cultivates the unpredictable.

There is, perhaps, no better track to testify to this, or even the vision behind Prime Colours/Bright Numbers, than NZEP. The waning nearly-eight-minute blackhole opens a portal into the void and takes the Vacationist and makes it physical. Audibly pushing you to physical reactions, the song should come with a warning. It pushes the bounds of experimentation that can, and will, cause side effects. Audiophiles out there proceed with caution. In itself, however, it becomes a fascinating construct that takes the usual to a new level.

From bright beginnings to a trailing light being pulled into the unknown, The Vacationist invite all to experience their journey upon waves of vibrant color and sound. They are not the owners of this otherworldly experience, just mere guides. Guides that are as willingly leading as they are exploring themselves. Prime Colours/Bright Numbers should be viewed as a vivid installment to what is hopefully an overflowing collection.

Greg is a co-founder and regular contributor to Nanobot Rock.