The All Is One is the final chapter in the loosely-connected and informally titled “Gullvåg Trilogy” kicked off by 2017’s The Tower and connected by 2019’s The Crucible. A sprawling, ambitious work that is immediately accessible and yet challenging, Motorpsycho’s newest record draws on elements from their entire career while charting new territory at the same time. It need not be stated that these are strange and strenuous times for the music industry. Is releasing an album in 2020 an act of rebellion against circumstance or of goodwill and generosity toward listeners? Whatever the case, Motorpsycho’s new record The All Is One is a miraculous work and a much needed diversion, but one not left unscathed by COVID-19. Recorded between September-November of 2019 in France and Norway, the album was originally planned for a release in spring but was inevitably postponed. As the band says, however, “It somehow seems a little better for it to us as things’ve had time to mature and settle before being unveiled to the public. It has become one intense listen, an epic and dense piece of music that might be perceived as demanding by some listeners, but that also hopefully rewards those with patience and a longer attention span.” Indeed, The All Is One is dense - take the album centerpiece “N.O.X.”, for example, a 40+ minute whirlwind trip through the Psychoverse that one could dissect over weeks. Or the sheer amount of instrumentation and layers applied to much of the album’s first and fourth sides. Astoundingly, for all its richness in detail, The All Is One never feels tiring or muddy; every layer is audible, every cymbal hit and string pluck lucid and in focus, making listening a joy to be had on many different levels. The All Is One feels much like the perfect Motorpsycho live performance: an unpredictable journey, ebbing and flowing, hypnotizing the listener and stopping the clock. Guest musicians such as Reine Fiske, Lars Horntveth (Jaga Jazzist, Amgala Temple) and Ola Kvernberg (Steamdome) step in and out of frame during the voyage, further enriching an album already so jam-packed with ideas one wonders how it can all be contained by vinyl. The All Is One is available on 2LP and 2CD. The 2LP version comes housed in deluxe, heavy-duty 10-PANEL fold out packaging with 180GR. vinyl and includes a download code.