Japanese psych-rockers Kikagaku Moyo released what is expected to be the band’s final album, Kumoyo Island, on Friday, May 6th.
In January, the band announced that the album would serve as the group’s last before they go on an indefinite hiatus. They also have a final bout of tour dates beginning this weekend in Canada and concluding with the band’s final performance in North America at Brooklyn Steel on October 6th, 2022.
The new album from Kikagaku Moyo stays true to the band’s psychedelic nature, with influences from East and Southeast Asia and West African funk, in addition to American psychedelia. Clocking in at just under 50 minutes, the record features 11 tracks that combine rich sonic textures, percussive grooves, and atmospheric sound effects to create songs with gradual movement and concise musical arcs. Some include Japanese lyrics, like the frenetic “Carboard Pile”, which features the drone of an Indian sitar before dropping into a groove reminiscent of Cambodian pop, while others are instrumentals.
The album’s opening track, “Monaka”, also features some sitar sounds along with catchy lyrics that invite the listener to sing along even if they don’t understand the words. The proceeding track, “Dancing Blue”, has a four-on-the-floor afrobeat feel, while the final track on the album, “Maison Silk Road”, by contrast, features six minutes and twenty seconds of ethereal sounds that envelope the listener.
The aptly titled “Daydream Soda” meanwhile embodies the album’s overall dreamscape aesthetic, and the more upbeat “Yayoi, Iyayoi” fuses an African two-over-three rhythm with a catchy, punk-rock inspired alt-pop feel. “Nap Song” likewise sounds as the name suggests, with a dreamy psych-folk vibe that dissolves into the sound of ocean waves at the end of the song.
Kumoyo Island is available now on all streaming platforms. Listen to the full album in the player below, and scroll down for a list of Kikagaku Moyo’s final North American tour dates. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the band’s website.
Kikagaku Moyo – Kumoyo Island