KIKAGAKU MOYO - HOUSE IN THE TALL GRASS (Guruguru Brain LP, CD, D/L).

Strange things are happening in the Far East………Kikagaku Moyo, Japan’s premier Psychedelic Folk band, have been turning heads for the last three years with their exquisite blend of classical Indian music, Krautrock, traditional Folk, and 70s Rock and have amassed a considerable cult following………those of you in the know will no doubt already have a copy of this record. For those of you new to this fantastic Tokyo band, their new album, House In The Tall Grass, will blow your mind. The band describe their thang as “feeling good music”, drifting from meditative, gentle vibes to a more chaotic Psych Rock squall Kikagaku Moyo channel the more “earthy” grooves from early 70s Krautrock bands, such as Gila, Amon Düül II and Bröselmaschine, with tripped out Acid Rock as sitar and swirling guitar intermingle with folk melodies. Existing fans will be comforted by the soft vocals harmonies and warm sitar, but what sets this release apart from their previous records is the refinement of the band’s song-writing and their delicate execution. Kikagaku Moyo have found the perfect balance between beguiling, bucolic psychedelia and full blown Psych Rock wig outs that is both absorbing and thrilling.

House In The Tall Grass elegantly reveals itself through many subtle layers as it ebbs and flows through nine magnificent tracks………..opening with the lithe Krautrock groove of ‘Green Sugar’, the interplay between the vocals, guitar, and sitar lift and carry the listener to the the start of journey which will encompasses a broad spectrum of influence & elements, building a bridge between the supernatural and the present. Easing through the gentle Psych Folk of ‘Kogarashi’ and the sublime ‘Old Snow, White Sun’ to the stunningly beautiful ‘Cardigan Song’, Kikagaku Moyo reward the patient listener with tracks such as ‘Trad’ and ‘Silver Owl’ which demonstrate the masterful balance the band has between soft and loud; chaos and order, or being both cold and tender at the same time. Most importantly their music is about freedom of the mind and body and improvisation is a key part of their sound……….crystalline jams like ‘Melted Crystal’ and ‘Fata Morgana’ slowly unwind into beautiful, fragile soundscapes to provide contrast to the more controlled chaos element of the band’s sound. House in the Tall Grass is a natural step forward for the band and perhaps the most refined example of their style to date. It’s the most beautifully chilled out, gorgeously trippy Psychedelic Folk record we have heard so far this year.

Out NOW on Tokyo based label Guruguru Brain and released on LP, CD and also as a Download. The CD and D/L version of House in the Tall Grass is available to buy from the Guruguru Brain Bandcamp page here https://gurugurubrain.bandcamp.com/album/house-in-the-tall-grass along with the usual outlets. The vinyl version sold out ages ago from the Bandcamp page, but at time of writing Shiny Beast were carrying copies and no doubt a bit of Googling will turn up other stockists. Well worth the effort tracking this record down.

THEE PSYCHEDELICATESSEN