PREMIERE: Becker & Mukai – Azores Part 2 (feat. Kadialy Kouyate)

Following on from their debut album ‘Time Very Near’ Becker & Mukai are back with ‘Spirit Only’, a collection of songs they spent a long time crafting in their East London lair.

After creating a series of psychedelic instrumental records between the two of them, Becker & Mukai decided to open the door to a carefully chosen selection of their favourite friends to collaborate and experiment with song structures and textures. Inviting such varied artists from the pop world such as Alexis Taylor (Hot Chip) and Yama Warashi, and also from World music like Kadialy Kouyate and Fimber Bravo, this enabled Becker & Mukai to expand their universe and reach new shores of their experimental pop music, creating more song-based works alongside the mix of electronic music and psychedelic dub they’d become known for.

Title track ‘Spirit Only’ opens the album and sets the tone for what’s to come with its powerful bass line, elastic drums, lush organs, playful melodies and dubby echoes. ‘Sunshine Demagogue’ was recorded over a period of several months and transports the listener to a sunny poolside location where Dani Croston’s angelic vocal melodies evaporate in tropical pop among a maelstrom of live percussions, otherworldly electronic sounds and funk bass lines. A synth loop carries the listener throughout ‘Wild Away’, multiple melodies answer each other to give meaning to these many voices. “It makes us feel like we’re sitting in the dark, patiently waiting for the tiger within ourselves to unleash its powers. Don’t we all want to go back to nature?” – Becker & Mukai

Yama Warashi means mountain spirit in Japanese and is the musical alias of Yoshino Shigihara who features on ‘Kinoko No Kioku’. Based in Japan and London she is interested in ancient stones, myths, and the power of words and voice. The lyrics of the track were inspired by the theory of ‘Morphic Resonance’. ‘Moon High’ is an upbeat conclusion to side A with its live wood blocks and Indian drones that are transcended by a lively drum beat and disco-infused bass line. The track came into conception through a session with the duo’s drummer Marin, and involved many percussive elements recorded at different playback speed and sample rates.

‘Spirit Only’ album takes a turn with ‘Ni Vu Ni Connu’, as “it’s an ode to the unexpected, to the odd pairing and a certain element of surprise, that feeling you get when you do something you shouldn’t and you think nobody saw.” An off electronic loop and an anchor of a bass line constitute the backbone of this song, as ominous organs and ghostly electronic sounds provide this atmosphere of surprise. ‘Meditative Blip’ is the first of two tracks that features Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor on vocals. Alexis’ voice comes out of darkness to sing a song of resilience, and the track was created out of studio experiments: it all started as an off-the-cuff jam between wonky percussion/drums and a guitar synth.

Senegalese kora virtuoso/singer Kadialy Kouyate features on ‘Toumado’ and ‘Azores Part 2’. The artist was born into the great line of Kouyate Griot in Southern Senegal and has showcased his fleet-fingered skills and hauntingly, darkly beautiful voice in many prestigious venues around the world.

‘Deja Vu’ closes the album with Alexis Taylor’s crystalline voice singing a song of disillusion towards our times. A poignant offering, Alexis’s voice mingles with otherworldly synths and draws the album to an end with a moment of reflection

Becker & Mukai are a London-based musical duo composed of Jean-Gabriel Becker and Susumu Mukai. Described by The Arts Desk as “creating shimmering space-funk electronica”, they create eclectic music that blends various genres, including electronic, ambient, jazz, and experimental sounds. Their musical output is often characterised by its atmospheric quality, intricate rhythms, and captivating melodies. The duo are celebrated for their innovative approach to music-making, incorporating elements of improvisation and collaboration into their compositions.

Jean-Gabriel Becker is a French musician and producer who has been involved in various musical projects over the years. He is known for his skills as a multi-instrumentalist, often incorporating a wide range of instruments into his music. Susumu Mukai, on the other hand, is a Japanese musician and composer with a background in experimental and avant-garde music. He is known for his work with various musical groups and for his ability to create unique sonic landscapes.

We are presenting ‘Azores Part 2’.

‘Spirit Only’ album will be available after the 26th of July HERE.