#mori-ra

[fuchinobe]

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Japanese Breeze (2021, Forest Jams, FJRS-01)

[thesunlounge]

Nadja - 頬に紅い恋 / Hoho ni akai koi (Polystar 1989)

[shawtytakeadrank]

(Mori Ra)

[thesunlounge]

Reviews 076: Mori Ra

Your milage may vary, but I tend to be very into edits. And almost no one does them better than Japan’s Mori Ra, that weaver of magic responsible for those essential Balearic Social 12”s and the inaugural Tracy Island EP (among quite a few other killer releases). Now we have Reconstruction for a New Age, out this year on the CockRing d’Amore edit sublabel of CockTail d’Amore and seeing Mori Ra offer up three further reshines of some balearic gold. I’m not sure what the sources are here, but it doesn’t matter…just close your eyes and surrender your body to the otherworldly disco delirium.

Mori Ra - Reconstruction for a New Age (CockTail d’Amore Music / CockRing d’Amore, 2018) The A-side is occupied by a single cut, starting with feedback swirls, vibrant cymbal play, and a thick and muddy four-four. A two-note bassline weaves exotic hypnotism alongside disco hats, as beachy hand percussion pushes through the oscillating drones. It’s very tropical in feel and starts taking on some fiery Afrofunk/jazz vibes with the emergence of soaring psychedelic organ, cycling freely between spellbinding runs, reggae chords, and more atonal Irmin Schmidt / Miles Davis “oven glove” style walls of sound. Sometimes the tone of the organ morphs to something flute-like, all dark woodwind tones surrounded by swelling echo arps and bass pads. But the rhythms never give in, revelling in pure propulsive mesmerism while the keys weave their spiritual jazz magic. The beat zones out even further towards the middle as the cosmic organ leads drop away, leaving just prismatic ambient clouds surrounding vibing house rhythmics. And once the organ re-enters, its eyes are trained on the deserts of the Middle East, everything locking in for a section of sun-baked housey exotica before the mystical disco trip of the first half rushes back in, keys soloing ever skyward over the sweaty intoxicating groove out.

The B-side houses two more epic edits, the first of which sees increasingly dreamy layers of new age synthesis fading in and out over a cycling yet static drum loop built from hollow kicks and energetic claps. Shimmering synth bubbles surround atonal synth chords and at some point a playful and journeying marimba line emerges, dropping smooth sunshine jazz atmospheres over the looping beats. Chimes sparkle in the air as deep emotional strings break through the surface of the oceanic synth layers, and though the rhythm seems content to float in place, the track takes on an increasingly colorful energy as it progresses. The final edit here is all about the spellbinding and angelic violin soloing, with Mori Ra gunning straight for the heart as romantic Americana string melodies drift over a breaky and tom-tom heavy percussive tapestry. Dreamtime African spells are woven on kalimbas and other mallet instruments, intermingling with wigged out progsynth noodling. And as the violin continues its ascent towards pure bliss, subtle and zooming outerpsace lasers trail alongside in the background ether.

(images scanned from my personal copy)

[zou-pa]

(Mori Ra)

[supermobunk]

(Mori Ra)

[losprimeros]

mori-ra - the brasserie heroique edits part 3 [BH035]

[rotatingsoulsrecords]

Happy Spring!

The Japanese Breeze Series continues! In this volume, Mori-ra takes us on a journey through Japan's reggae inspired cosmic synth tunes! The pitch is slowed down, a perfect soundtrack for the spring -- and all those cosmic road trips. Get ready! check it out!