Kikagaku Moyo
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Photo Credit: Kentaro
(New York) Kikagaku Moyo (translation: "geometric patterns") was formed in Tokyo in the Summer of 2012 by Go Kurosawa and Tomo Katsurada. Their music incorporates elements of classical Indian music, Krautrock, Traditional Folk, and 70s Rock. Kikagaku Moyo calls their sound psychedelic because it encompasses a broad spectrum of influence, but 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.
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The band released their first self-titled album in 2013 on Cosmic Eye Records / Sound Effect Records before touring Australia with the native Aussie band Dreamtime. By April 2014 Kikagaku Moyo had released Mammatus Clouds on cassette via Sky Lantern Records and recorded their second LP Forest of Lost Children which was released in May 2014 by Beyond Beyond is Beyond records. The band toured the U.S. at the same time sharing bills with Moon Duo, Eternal Tapestry, White Manna, Life Coach, and the Myrrors. They played at Austin Psych Fest and L.A. Psych Fest to high acclaim.
Their Self-titled record and Mammatus Clouds were later re-released on 12” vinyl by Captcha records in the U.S. and Cardinal Fuzz Records in the UK. The band toured the UK in the fall of 2014 to support these releases which ended up selling out in a matter of days. In 2015, Kikagaku Moyo released several split 7” records, the first with Kinski on God Unknown Records and a self-released split with Moon Duo. This was followed by a 35 day tour across Europe with sold out dates in Berlin, London, Paris, Porto, Lisbon, Barcelona, and Geneva. They appeared at Eindhoven Psych Lab and Duna Jam - the band has earned their reputation as fierce and captivating performers.
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Photo credit: Maximilian Teucher
Like a long journey, House In The Tall Grass unfolds itself 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 songwriting and their delicate execution. Side A begins with a pair of traveling 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.
House in the Tall Grass, recorded between October and December of 2015 at Tsubame Studio where it was mixed, mastered, and produced by Yui Kimijima, takes the listener by the hand on a satisfying quest through destinations both familiar and unknown. It is a natural step forward for the band and perhaps the most refined example of their style to date.
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