FATHER MOO & THE BLACK SHEEP

Japan certainly has to be one of the strangest places on the planet. This zany land hosts three scripts for its unique language and a cultural diversity that spans from absolute strictness of social order politeness to the free spirit cultural dropouts This nation never disappoints in delivering strange new art forms to the world at large and this is particularly true of the crazy music scenes that have produced some of the most experimental and adventurous sonic explorations ever unleashed. Perhaps one of the strangest enigmatic figures of all to emerge is Makoto Kawabata, the mastermind behind the Acid Mothers Temple brand and its countless offshoots and hundreds of albums that have come to fruition through a never-ending series of collaborative efforts.

One of the earlier short-lived one shot offshoots of the Acid Mothers clan was this bizarre eccentricity from FATHER MOO & THE BLACK SHEEP which showcased yet another example of Kawabata's countercultural spirit that evokes the 1960s hippie communes that he and his friends have been carrying out in the Japanese countryside. The ultimate escapist tribute to none other than the freaky hippie cult commune formed by Jim Baker aka Father Yod and his musical collective called Ya Ho Wa 13 who released their own bizarre musical releases in the 1970s. This self-titled release evokes a similar cult following vibe only like everything Kawabata touches is turned up several factors in the freakishness department and takes the psychedelic meanderings to the most extreme levels possible.

The credits are given to FATHER MOO as as the guru and deliverer of dogma with Makoto Kawabata delivering the organ and various effects however FATHER MOO is just one alter ego of Kawabata although some sources say this is simply an alter ego and others suggest he's a mysterious crony who leads his own hippie cult in some remote wilderness region of Japan. Whatever the case, this sole album under this moniker is a dark droning journey into the cosmos not unlike Berlin School progressive electronic albums from Klaus Schulze and others of the 70s however this one evokes a dark, cold and scary set of three tracks that embrace an icy dark ambient sound and vacuous harshness that the German scene never really engaged in. While it sounds like a ticket to the insane asylum, the monotonous synthetic swirls and hovering pitch bends are accompanied by various female voices and noises credited to 8 of FATHER MOO's personal handmaidens. Only the final untitled track offers some more "normal" organ playing however the effect is similar to the Luciferian church music effect of the 1970s Italian act Jacula.

Add to the freakiness of the music and the creepy imagery of the album cover art evokes a Charles Manson like power trip with brainwashed female followers worshipping his every move making you wonder if this is all just a parody or indeed a modern day occult magic organization that finds followers through the attraction of these bizarre sonic experiments. It's a strange album that really effectively delivers all the goods for a demonic cult ritual that worships hedonistic eroticism and indie spiritual disciplines. Female chanting and incessant drones with an oscillating series of ambient soundscapes is the stuff true nightmares are made of like when Rosemary comes to a semi-conscious state while being raped by Satan himself in the 1968 film "Rosemary's Baby." For all the psychedelic sounds that have emerged since the explorative lysergia of the 1960s i do believe that Makoto Kawabata may be the most consistent in offering extreme trips that take you beyond anything else and this strange heady electronic excursion will certainly scratch all your psychedelic itches and then some as you astral plane into the unfamiliar influence of FATHER MOO & THE BLACK SHEEP.