“In a Coil” by Kikagaku Moyo

Japanese sonic adventurers Kikagaku Moyo are back with a new album called “Stone Garden” out 21 April. Here’s the pulsating kaleidoscopic swirl of “In a Coil” to set your mind on fire:

Kikagaku Moyo came to PopLib’s attention a few years ago with the beautiful album “House in the Tall Grass” which mixed heavy-psych rock, Krautrock and more pastoral acoustic psych-folk together into an accessible album.

This track is the only preview track available for the new album so we’ll have to take the word of their label – Guru Guru Brain – that this album is more experimental, built around lengthy improvised jams. “In a Coil” comes over like the most frantic passages of the previous album condensed into one mesmerising 6 minute trip through space and time, a quivering sitar coda adding an Eastern air to this Neu! influenced pulse of cosmic music. It’s an understatement to say this is a promising introduction to the new album.

“Kogarashi” by Kikagaku Moyo

Kikagaku Moyo are a psych-rock band from Japan and their new album – “House in the Long Grass”, which is out in a few weeks – is mind-expanding and wonderful.

This particular song “Kogarashi” has a spiritual and meditational feel. It’s almost like some devotional European folk but, as you’ll discover with each song, it manages to evoke a sense of familiarity without actually sounding ‘like’ anything in particular you know.

I was so impressed by just this one song I ordered the LP from Japan before I even listened to another track. It’s an affordable investment too, working out at about $30 NZD for the black vinyl edition plus $10 NZD postage.

Just one song is not enough to give you a sense of the wonder of this album though, as each song captures a distinctive mood. The opening track on the album – “Green Sugar” – is another different but also brilliant slice of dreamy delicious psych adventure, bursting with the spirit of Can circa their Ege Bamyasi album.

There’s a huge range of music on the album judging from the 4 tracks available to stream (or download upon your pre-order purchase). For example, the 10 minute epic “Silver Owl” is a monster of shifting psych morphing through several ‘movements’ from gentle opening to impressive heavy-psych-prog-metal guitar fury ending.

This is the third album from Kikagaku Moyo and they have also released a few EPs and singles, so there’s an exciting back catalogue awaiting discovery too.