Kikagaku Moyo - Masana Temples (Guruguru Brain)

Kikagaku Moyo have made a thrilling record of Japanese kosmische musik that might sound like early Kyuss being played by Stereolab and Tenniscoats

“Spattered with words that went dead as soon as they sounded; each word obliterated, before it had time to make sense, by the word that came next; so that in the end she did not know what had been said. It was like difficult music heard for the first time.” A quote from Murphy by Samuel Beckett, copied out in my memo book. The words trigger something about Kikagaku Moyo. Specifically, the Japanese psych-rock band’s use of vocal sounds rather than actual lyrics; their refusal to rely on language when music says it all. They may explore some lyrical content here (with “Nazo Nazo”), yet it doesn’t feel anti-organic or at odds with their process. The distinction may be lost in translation of course, but it certainly doesn’t feel too real against the beautiful fiction elsewhere.

The record opens with “Entrance”, so sitar-laden that it may trick the unwary listener into believing they are practising TM in a late 1960s California retreat. Enlightenment indeed arrives, but it is in the many-headed form of “Dripping Sun”, which begins with bass and guitar hitting up the psychedelics in search of something. A something that turns out to be kosmische musik with hints of Stereolab. Instead of settling into that sound, the band drop out into the quiet, gentle vocal sounds drawing us off the path. It goes from CinemaScope to chamber piece in seconds. But the metamorphosis isn’t over. Instead, the music expands into a street soul groove before firing off stoner rock riffs. There’s a laid back heaviness about proceedings and it must be said that the title “Dripping Sun” goes a long way towards describing the myriad styles at play. The shifting tones are at first surprising, but always retain a natural balance. Early Kyuss as played by Stereolab featuring members of Tenniscoats, might be another way of saying it.

“Fluffy Kosmisch” again does much of the reviewer’s work and since they actually sound like Japan’s answer to Neu! on the track then nobody is likely to complain. Beautiful repetition meets phantom organ stabs, maintaining a feeling of heightened sensation throughout. Kikagaku Moyo turn on the pressure through subtle manipulations of the build. Worlds open up in just under three minutes and it is the album boiled down. “Majupose” adopts Stereolab style with warm, punchy bass and repetitive instrumental voices carrying you on through the dream. Whereas “Orange Peel” may be a scaled up version of a cut from The Last Great Wilderness Pastels soundtrack existing on the borders of dream pop.

And then the rain falls on “Amayadori”, the found sound of nature a portal. Those childhood afternoons when it was raining outside, but you were warm and dry inside. Those adult afternoons when it is raining outside and you’re inside, trying to recreate the feeling of when you were a child sitting inside when it was raining outside. Something almost found, but nevertheless lost. Pulling things together again, “Gatherings” bites down heavily with guitars and organ, picking up a motorik pulse along the way. Then all fades out with the pastoral “Blanket Songs”. Curled up, after the rain, beyond memory.

kikagakumoyoggb.bandcamp.com