These electro-Maloya experiments, cast forth unto the world by the awesome Nyege Nyege Tapes, are the mesmerizing electronic tonic I needed to get me through these harried days of pre-Xmas flush. Put this on and be transported. Nigh Afro-kraut-like, at times industrial, sonic exploration that you didn’t realize was missing from your life’s listening puzzle, but it was!! And now it isn’t thanks to Jako Maron from Reunion Island. With Réunionese culture being a blend of European, African, Indian, Chinese and insular traditions, there’s a whole stew that this music rises out of. A product of that stew, Maloya music is Reunion’s only truly indigenous music, one that can be seen as somewhat analogous to American Blues or Jamaican Mento in its slave music origins, its rise to culturally foundational music status, and its use as protest music within the society in which it was born. Maron brings the rhythms of Maloya into the present through his fat bottomed squiggly beats that roll and zip, zag and plod, all with intention, all with the tremendous spirit of the explorer. Certainly, I will be playing these unusual and hypnotic jams for some time to come.
Tokyo’s emamouse is a mysterious creature. I’m in love with the music I’ve heard from her, especially this latest record. Video game informed music this certainly is. I keep getting flashbacks to Final Fantasies, though I’m not sure which one, but perhaps a more apt descriptor is that of an amusement park. You’ve somehow found yourself in the park after it’s closed. All the lights are on, and no one else is around, you think. A layer of fantasy settles over you, and you enjoy yourself to the uplifting and somewhat saccharine sounds, but it’s always lurking in the back of your mind: How did you get here? Where is everyone else? Best to just enjoy the rides and not think about any of that though. And around and around you go.
I understand that there’s a merchandise world surrounding emamouse existing on some alternative reality called the world wide web. That’s cool and you should support this artist (who also creates manga) if you like to do those kind of things. I’m here for the music though, and the music is strange and quite unique, denpa song, yes. An electronic, and electro-acoustic at times, composed tour of a moody post-chiptune land in which we can all find a cloud of our own. emamouse is prolific and has released multiple albums this year alone. Dive in.
New Bedford hardcore beasts are back but from the sound of this one track released so far (and their accompanying text) they’ve gone a bit of the ol’ SLUDGE ROCK. Works for me, because this one, “Lawnmower Man” is heavy as fuck, with the groove to keep it special. The heavy was obviously there in these guys’ earlier recordings, but the rock is more present now. Reminds me a bit of that Devil Worshipper shit. Anyway, couldn’t be more pumped for this record to come out. Hope these guys play a bunch of shows and destroy a shit ton of minds. Slays.
