Going back to contemporary stuff
Kikagaku Moyo is a Japanese psych band with an unusual history
They started out playing on the street in Tokyo around 2012
In Japan (like American youth soccer), doing music clubs and shows is mostly pay-to-play
You gotta pay the venue to get on
They couldn’t swing that, so they took it to the corner
They eventually left Japan and while they’ve seen a lot of success in the US and Europe, they’re still not very big back home
One of the things that got them noticed was their use of sitar
Ryo Kurosawa (brother of drummer and front man Go) studied it in India
Like I said, they’ve acquired substantial notoriety and fans with their records and tours, but I only discovered them recently
(I’m, uh, less than tuned into what’s going on in the current scene)
I heard about how they went about their most recent album
The story goes that they were looking to do something well outside their comfort zone
So they contacted a portuguese jazz producer (Bruno Parnadas) cold
Asked him about coming to Lisbon to record an album under his direction
The result is Masana Temples
Not sure if it could classified as jazzy
But it’s definitely unusual psych
Today’s dose is kinda prog
In the sense that it actually goes through progressions
You might think they’re singing in Japanese
But nope!
All their lyrics are just made up/scat/onomatopoeia
Unfortunately, this album drops the acoustic sitar in favor of the less-distinctive electric for the most part
But I really dig it
The name translates as “geometric patterns”
The band name, that is
In Japanese, it’s 5 characters
They never practice, and like to joke that psych music allows them to cover up technical deficiency, while improvising, exploring, and following a trace where it may lead
Even if you’re not a big psychedelic head, give these guys a chance
Especially if you feel like going on some type of relaxed journey
Could be a nice (daily) dose of dope
Now, turning it over to Dad!
LOL. Uhhh, yes.
I also endorse this music.
I actually saw Kikigaku Koyo, in 2018 at Revolution Brew octobefest.
Not cause I had intended to. But if you’re hanging out drinking a beer and those dudes come on stage and start playing you stop and look and listen.
What did you think?
Were you high?
I was not high. But they were still incredible. they look like a mix between a heavy metal band and a groovy 70’s outfit (with a sitar on stage). They have a presence even before they play.
And they have tripped out back drops but they’re also head banging and waving hair.
Please continue!
The skat shit is hilarious. Because I had no idea and I was like man these Japanese lyrics are very strange sounding.
I would definitely go out of my way to see them again. With that I step back in to the shadows of the dose.
I would definitely love to see them live
They were at Thalia Hall in 2018
(maybe I saw something about them in the reader? I can’t remember)
But I couldn’t go
Day before the Octoberfest performance.
Makes sense
They put on a show for sure. Commanding your attention.
I’d guess their live set doesn’t hew too close to the recorded material
Go with the flow and whatnot
Yeah. All the exploring a trace type shit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3JBiJeqlwk
Skip to like 49 mins. The seem to have followed a rather energetic trace
48 mins maybe
Damn Bill Gates need to hurry up and find this young vaccine so we can get live shows again