Mono No Aware – Mujoo (CD Album – Hands)
Genre/Influences: Rhythmic-noise, industrial, industrial-trance.
Background/Info: The German sonic ogre is back on track unleashing the seventh album since “Kitanai Yatsu” (2000).
Content: Operator Leif Künzel moves on mixing heavy industrial loops and pure rhythmic-noise patterns. There also is a more electronic touch emerging from a few songs while a minimal approach is also noticeable at a few other cuts. The power remains constant, but the rhythm can sometimes become a little slower. The work also features remixes by Hypnoskull and Cubic Nomad.
+ + + : “Mujoo” is more than simply power; it sometimes feels as ‘controlled power’ but with overwhelming noise blasts. I like the explicit passages with minimal treatments like little bleeping sequences. The last few tracks are more into trance and electronics and I especially recommend listening to “Oh Boy” and “Pounding”. I can’t say that Mono No Aware has reinvented itself on these few tracks, but there’s a wider spectrum of influences that has been covered. Another highlight is the remix of “Impulse Response” by Cubic Nomad transposing the original edit into a heavy, danceable cut with filtered bleeps.
– – – : If you’re not into heavy rhythmic-noise assaults, this album will maybe appeal to you for its trance-industrial part, but globally speaking it remains a brain-damaging experience!
Conclusion: Mono No Aware remains extremely powerful, but still revealing a refreshing touch.
Best songs: “Pounding”, “Impulse Response – Cubic Nomad Remix”, “Oh Boy”, “A Good Decision”, “X”, “ISX”.
Rate: (8½).
Label: www.handsproductions.com / www.facebook.com/hands.official
About Mono No Aware
Mono No Aware is a German power-noise and industrial project run by Leif Künzel. Early member Stefan Böhm left around 2002 to focus on S.I.N.A.; Künzel has run the project alone since. Its discography began with “Kitanai Yatsu” (2000) and continued through “Kika No Sekai” (2002), “Kataku” (2005), “Ketoujin” (2008), “Pachinko To Hanbaagaa” (2010), “Tatemae” (2012) and “Oto” (2017) before “Mujoo” (2019) on Hands.
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I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
