Kikagaku Moyo have shared another new track from their forthcoming album ‘House In The Tall Grass’, set for release on May 13th via Guruguru Brain.
Drummer Go Kurosawa elaborates on the track, entitled ‘Green Sugar’, saying it “was inspired by a morning walk.” He continues: “It’s in three parts, expressing first a blizzard, then a gentle stroll in the woods finding birds, foxes and squirrels, and finally a descent into a bottomless cave.”
Kikagaku Moyo will play a string of UK shows this May and have been confirmed to play Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia this September.
Kikagaku Moyo’s sound encompasses a broad spectrum of influence & elements of classical Indian music, Krautrock, traditional folk, and 70s Rock. Most importantly their music is about freedom of the mind and body, and building a bridge between the supernatural and the present. Improvisation is a key element to their sound.
Like a long journey House In The Tall Grass unfolds through many layers. Existing fans of Kikagaku Moyo will be comforted by the soft vocals harmonies and warm sitar, but what sets this release apart is the refinement of the band’s song-writing and their delicate execution. Side A begins with a pair of travelling songs where the interplay between the vocals, guitar, and sitar lift and suspend the listener on an unexpected journey. The patient listener is rewarded 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.
“We wanted to make a record which would bring scenic images to the listeners” explains drummer, Go Kurosawa. “The idea came to my mind when I took a trip to the north of Japan. It was very cold outside, but the place I stayed was warm. I was amazed by how quiet it was outside with the snow absorbing all sound. It felt like I was covering my ears with my hands or I was under the sea. We wanted this to be a conceptual album, not a compilation of discrete tracks. I had been listening to two film soundtracks, one written by Bruce Langhorne for a western movie called The Hired Hand, the other, Ry Cooder’s soundtrack for Paris, Texas. I was deeply inspired by these records, and both created the kind of intense scenic images I was interested in.”
Kikagaku Moyo live dates: including a date at The Star & Garter
May
25 Bristol, UK Cube
26 London, UK, London Fields Brewery
27 Manchester, UK, Star and Garter
28 Glasgow, Scotland, Nice’n’Sleazys
29 Leeds, UK, Karma Fest
30 Brighton UK, Bleach
September
23-24 Liverpool UK, Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia (Guruguru Brain stage)
