Kikagaku Moyo – “Masana Temples”

carsonstreet   7/11/2022   12-inch, A Library

Masana Temples is the fourth album from psychedelic explorers Kikagaku Moyo. Kikagaku Moyo is based in Tokyo, Japan. The band’s experiences traveling through life together, ranging from the months spent on tour to making a pilgrimage to Lisbon to record this album with jazz musician Bruno Pernadas. The band sought out Pernadas out of admiration for his music and in an intentional move to work with a producer who came from a very different background. With Masana Temples, the band wanted to challenge their own concepts of what psychedelic music could be. Elements of both the attentive folk and wild-eyed rocking sides of the band are still intact throughout, but they’re sharper and more defined. Life for a traveling band is a series of constant metamorphoses, with languages, cultures, climates and vibes changing with each new town. Inspecting the harmonies and disparities between these perspectives, the group reflects the emotional impact of their nomadic paths. Every track has a different feel and describing the music as psychedelic is pretty loose. The album artwork is a trip. Very enjoyable.