Moon Duo, “Occult Architecture Vol. 2”
Available: Now via Brooklyn, New York-based Sacred Bones Records on compact disc and standard black vinyl LP.
This is fantastic time to play catch-up on records released during the waning months of Spring. Not to say there aren’t worthwhile releases out this week, just see Cooper Stapleton’s recommendations above or below or nearby, but last Friday alone we had new releases from The Afghan Whigs, At the Drive-In, Perfume Genius, and Bonnie “Prince” Billy, among many others. Last week also featured a semi-surprise from Portland-based psych-droners, Moon Duo.
I say semi-surprise because, logically, if there is a Volume 1, one can and should expect a Volume 2, no? Yeah, see, I verbalize that now but didn’t see it coming back in February while salivating over the initial installment. What seemingly began as a side project for Wooden Shjips guitarist Erik “Ripley“ Johnson and keyboardist Sanae Yamada, has become a full-blown entity five or six records deep.
On this second volume, recorded in Portland (Volume 1 was recorded in Berlin), Johnson and Yamada are joined by touring drummer John Jeffrey and explore themes of duality. Specifically, “of these light and dark energies through the Chinese theory of Yin and Yang. Following the Yin (feminine, darkness, night, earth) represented on Occult Architecture Vol. 1, Vol. 2 presents the Yang”.
Recommended for fans of Wooden Shjips, Spaceman 3, Chrome, label mates Psychic Ills or even touches of early Jesus and Mary Chain.
Jon E. Lynch[email protected]
