Macula Kuru

Amazingly psychedelic quartet session by two Japanese players (Junzo Suzuki and Mitsuru Tabata) and two Belgians (Bart De Paepe and Jan D’Hooghe). Originally this was recorded as a trio, while Junzo was touring Europe in March 2020, but he passed the tape to Mitusri (his partner in the gorgeous acid folk duo, 20 Guilders) to add bass. And we’re glad he did, ’cause the low-lunar notes Tabata generates kinda keep the music from floating off into space
We’d been trying to do something with Bart (who runs the Sloow Tapes concern, among many other projects) for a while. And we flipped out when we heard this session. The twinned electric guitars (from Bart and Junzo) are massive thrashing sky whales of sound. Both these guys are known for psychedelic vision mass, but they really take it to another level here. Urged along by D’Hooghe’s rock solid percussion (which was a new one on me, since he’s known more for his electro work) and Tabata’s wonderful bass playing (which doesn’t feel in the least like an add-on), the guitars explode like variations on all the best Japanese acid flash
Without really referring to any specific precursors, Macula Kuru (a name that refers to a goddamn eye disease of all things) really nail the open possibilities still available to guitar psych players who are willing to tug on the loose threads of the cosmos. Not sure what’s going on with these guys right now. Junzo Suzuki was in a serious accident earlier this year, and we can only wish him a very full recovery. But if music is the healing force of the universe, he should be in good hands. Because Macula Kuru’s music is on a par with anything he’s ever done. And he has been in some HEAVY outfits