Scott Robinson’s “Heliosonic Toneways”

The new recording from ScienSonic Laboratories, “Heliosonic Toneways, Volume 1” is some of the trippiest music we’ve heard since, well, 1965, when Sun Ra released “Heliocentric Worlds,” featuring the much neglected bass marimba. Scott Robinson and ensemble insist they’ve not made a tribute record, and this is true as far as content goes. “HT” is surely it’s own melange of lovely weirdness. In spirit, it’s a stellar homage to Maestro Ra and his forward-looking players. (Marshall Allan, 93, appears on both recordings!) With or without psychedelic enhancements, immersing yourself in HT’s peculiar tone bath is a transporting pleasure.