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IN STOCK
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ARTIST
TITLE
Moksha
FORMAT
LP
LABEL
CATALOG #
ALB 001LP
ALB 001LP
GENRE
RELEASE DATE
2/4/2014
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LP version. Raz Ohara's latest full-length is jam-packed with intricate cross-references and wild cross-pollinations, while he's making sure the vibe remains just right from beginning to end. A term like "dub" might be in the right ballpark, but you can also hear soul music on Moksha, at least hints of soul, subtle hints. It's actually the kind of slow-moving, static-laden soul that can only evaporate from the infinite echo chambers of Ohara's (dub) lab. Extremely dense and yet transparently arranged, the soundscapes on Moksha are vast, roomy, and yet they remain somewhat mysterious around the edges. Most beats and percussion elements seem to exist merely for themselves, usually dropping in when you least expect them -- making the resulting groove patterns (and groove it does) even more miraculous and amazing. Elsewhere, warm layers of sound or frozen melodies appear out of nowhere, linger and grow for a while, then die down again. As a listener, you have to surrender and drown in these pulsating soundscapes, which Ohara wrote and produced single-handedly. The first beat that's actually pretty straightforward (and funky) serves as the foundation of the only cover song on this album: "True Love Will Find You in the End" by Daniel Johnston. Whereas most of his own beats are assembled from acoustic elements, this is the only track that sees him relying on a drum computer. "Two Young Mates," in comparison, with its soft walls of guitar, channels post-grunge bands like Ride or Lush -- or even Pluramon. It's amazing to see this wall of sound grow over a steady beat, while Ohara actually shouts the lyrics instead of singing them. Up next he presents a rather abstract collage of clarinet, African percussion, and synthesizer sounds in shreds -- forming, once again, some kind of dub music. If you've ever found yourself lost in a limestone cave, here's your soundtrack to that kind of adventure. Moksha is the first release on Album Label, a new imprint under the Shitkatapult roof. This album is a perfect starting point, because it's a cave of forking paths that change direction every time you re-enter.
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