Californiosos is twin icons Farmer Dave Scher—one of the Eden Ahbez-iest guys to lately pick up an electric guitar, or to sit down behind a pedal steel—and Michael Vest, part of the Space Babies band with Scher as well as mastermind Venice’s Earthstar Creation Center, which is every bit the locus of universal inspiration the name suggests.Together these are two guys on two different paths to the same place, which people used to call “far out” because, well, it’s really far out. The most distant beach, the other side of the rain forest, that place at the edge of the universe where the stars overwhelm the darkness with light—that’s where Californiosos wanna go, and it’s a drive more urgent than ever as society seals up for the indefinite future.

So here’s their escapist video—in that they want to help you personally escape the confines of a mind tricked into confining itself—for their completely committed psych-folk song “Sister Magick,” single from their self-titled February debut full-length. They’re precisely and proudly correct about the Pink Floyd feel they point out here—the post-Syd Floyd, gliding toward Dark Side—but there’s a ton of Hawkwind-ian pomp and grandeur in the lyrics. If you’re gonna explore space magic, you can’t help but walk where Hawkwind once walked.

The Avatar-lush experience is a triumph of 21st century green-screening, and it literalizes the prime themes of “Sister Magick”—the fundamental glory of nature, the freedom on the other side of oblivion, magick and sisters—with such enthusiastic dedication that it’s almost an instructional manual for blowing the dust and muck out of your own mind. The only thing missing here is a Julian Cope co-credit (or cameo) and a quick flash of some standing stones, but since this band is called Californiosos, they aim their descent from high orbit into a landing that looks pretty close to Joshua Tree.

There’s a sweet spot between the intro of Heavy Metal and a blacklight poster of a winged fairy waving a wand beneath a midnight moon—one too sci-fi, the other just too high contrast—and that’s where the video for “Sister Magick” begins and ends … or should it be ends and begins? See, it’s working already. Consider this a valentine to the glories of the outside world and the world outside man, which is also why it’s called “Sister Magick,” says Scher:

“’Sister Magick’ is an elemental and heartfelt ode to the Goddess, the feminine energy as she appears in all creation, in Mother Nature, and inside all of us, regardless of gender … we have a pretty wicked patriarchy hangover as a civilization right now, and it’s a process of re-awakening we’re going through … a heavy trip, yes, but ultimately, it’s our destiny to return to Nature and reclaim our true power as a species. Sister Magick, we love you!”

“Sister Magick” and the Californiosos LP are available here from Earthstar’s own label. Full credits below!

Recorded at Sing Love House and Earthstar Creation Center, Venice Beach, CA

Mixed by: Californiosos with Matt Linesch at @INFINITESPIN RECORDS, Van Nuys CA

Music & Lyrics: Michael Vest & Farmer Dave Sher

Arrangements: Nico Borromeo & John X Volaitis

Engineering: John X Volaitis