The Magic Circle: Sonic Substance in Psychedelic Music

How iconic psychedelic records of the 1960s unleash the transformative capacity of music to expand—and unhinge—the mind.

In the mid-Sixties, The Beatles abandoned live performance, complaining they could no longer hear themselves on stage. Obsessed with the latest records of Bob Dylan and Brian Wilson, and with imaginations fueled by weed and acid, they retired to the studio. With the help of their producers and engineers, the Beatles left a trail of novel recording practices, audio technolo...