Gate of Klüna

This is a strange and fascinating album that may challenge Songlines readers who prefer their world music on the soft, acoustic side. Kuunatic are a trio from Japan who proudly state that their ‘musical concept is fantasy, and our first EP Kuurandia is the name of the planet we live on.’ This is their first full length debut and it’s a concept album, telling the story of how their planet was created, the wars and volcanoes that threatened it, and its overall survival. Easy to snicker at this Rush-like description perhaps, but this is a seriously creative band, sounding very unique.

The music often sounds ritualistic, with ‘Full Moon Spree’ in particular reminiscent of what you hear at Japanese summer festivals as people dance around the taiko drums. ‘Desert Empress Pt 1’ sounds like an unhinged-Can, with drummer Yuko Araki particularly standing out while the vocals go between Japanese, English and what sounds like a made up language. Although listed as only keyboards, bass and drums, other instruments float in and out, creating a cacophony at times, but still always under control. This felt very much like a theatre piece; I can imagine Kuunatic turning this into an awesome multimedia special on stage. I’m not sure how much I would return to this album, but I’m very much looking forward to going to a Kuunatic concert as soon as possible.