Acid Mothers Temple - Mantra Of Love (2004)

Acid Mothers Temple - Mantra Of Love (2004)

Acid Mothers Temple, the world-class modern psychedelic rock band of Japan, released what might be their most beautifully mellifluous album yet this summer. As a highly prolific musical collective, having produced over forty releases since their inception in 1995, this is no small feat. Two of their more notable recent albums, Electric Heavyland and Univers Zen ou de Zéro à Zéro, were much more ... well, heavy on the hyperkinetic freakouts and cosmic delirium. Mantra of Love seems to be a watershed, veering into more spacious and resplendent regions of sound. Wailing tsunamis and thunder-shattered percussion have been traded out for more pleasant and easily discernible gales.

"La Le Lo," the first of two lengthy tracks on the disc, is said to be a traditional Occitan hymn drawing from the indigenous language of southern France in the 11th to 15th centuries, marking their second flirtation with ancient folk styles since La Nòvia. The bouzouki and electric sitar that snake around Cotton's voice recall Popol Vuh (particularly the Heart of Glass soundtrack) and other kraut rock while the synthesizer sends spiraling waves into space, like a message from the desert to the stars. (Interestingly enough, AMT founder/figurehead Mokoto Kawabata claims that he hears music broadcast from outer space directly into his head.) The song ebbs and swells a number of times, oscillating between bucolic and cosmic, before launching into an extended lysergic jam.

The second and final track, "L'Ambition Dans le Miroir," is even more hushed, leading in with shimmering wind chimes and the ubiquitous sound of astral synth. Guitars are strummed in a somber tone while Cotton Casino sings her swan song -- this is, sadly, rumored to be her final performance with the AMT collective. The song dwindles into a restrained drone of keyboards, feedback, and ambient texture until all has been stripped away and only the chimes remain, swaying gently in the breeze... -- B.W (amazon.com)

Tracklist:

1. La le lo (occitanian trad.) 30:00
2. L'ambition dans le miroir 15:02

Acid Mothers Temple - Mantra Of Love (2004)