(2017) Kikagaku Moyo - Stone Garden

Review: 
Five is the magic number for Kikagaku Moyo: this is the fifth release from the Japanese 5-piece since forming five years ago, and in that short time they’ve already established themselves alongside Acid Mothers Temple, Mono, and Ghost at the forefront of the Japanese psychedelic scene. 
That the ’70s improvisational German krautrock movement has had an enormous influence on the band is apparent from their (own) label name, which namechecks both one of genre’s stalwarts (Guru Guru) as well as one of its premiere labels, Brain. Their latest is a half-hour mini-LP / EP, which elaborates on their improvisational skills, one of the trademarks of most krautrock giants (e.g., Can, Ash Ra Temple, Faust, Amon Düül I and II). 
As with many releases born of incessant jamming, the results are mixed. The minimalist, highly distorted sound of opener ‘Backlash’ suggests they just started wailing away on their instruments, then started rolling tape to see what they could capture. It’s brainfrying, to be sure, but it’s also rather annoyingly fuzzy and dirty, sounding like someone forgot to clean the tape heads before recording. 
Thankfully, ‘Nobakitani’ restores both a modicum of sanity and a stellar, pastoral vibe – a floating acoustic gem that’s perfect for navel gazing or studying the inside of your eyelids. 
Overall, the band’s playing is impeccable, and both ends of their sonic spectrum are explored to great effect. Therefore, whether you prefer the pummeling noise of lightning-fast guitar solos, or the laidback dreamy world of lying in a tall field of grass staring at overhead cloud formations, there’s something here to tickle your fancy. 

Tracklist: 
01 Backlash.flac 
02 Nobakitani.flac 
03 Trilobites.flac 
04 In a Coil.flac 
05 Floating Leaf.flac 

Summary: 
Country: Japan 
Genre: post-rock, psychedelic rock