Release context
*Life Is The Trip* pairs Laughing Buddha with Mandala in 2026. By this point the two projects were already part of the same close Nano Records circle, so the release feels less like a novelty pairing than a continuation of an established creative relationship.
Laughing Buddha's recent Nano Records output has largely developed through singles and collaborations rather than long-form albums. That suits Jez Ardley's catalogue well: the project has always been closely connected to the UK psytrance network, and the newer releases often place that connection directly at the centre of the track. The repeated partnership across successive years gives these tracks a sense of continuity that a one-off collaboration would not have.