In a sea of grey, Kuunatic shine out, demanding our attention. This is swirling, darkly sweet folk music that is haunting and compelling. It is western inspired and rolls along on a psychedelic drone. But this is underpinned with a Japanese cultural influence that skews the whole thing into something new and fresh. So you can hear and feel the history but it’s been transformed, transported to a new place.
Kuunatic’s hotly anticipated second album ‘Wheels of Ömon,’ takes another adventuresome deep dive into their self-made fantasy mythology, proposing whole new worlds of psychedelic drama and ritual. In addition to their core sonic palette of tribal drums, pulsing bass, atmospheric keyboards and grouped female vocals, the acclaimed Japanese all-female psych-rock trio played an array of Japanese traditional instruments on ‘Wheels of Ömon.’
The album’s second single “Yellow Serpent” features a unique mix of atmospheric floating organ sounds, dubby bass lines, and hypnotic three-part singing—elements that blend together to create a mesmerizing vibe. Kuunatic is known for their experimental approach and “Yellow Serpent” draws from a wide range of influences, ranging from traditional Japanese sounds to experimental rock and atmospheric electronics.
Kuunatic will make a welcome return to the UK in April for a 4-date tour, starting in London on 20 April, with shows in Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester.
Their second ‘Wheels of Ömon’ builds on the story of Kuurandia, its moon Klüna and its sun Ömon with more tales of prophecy, mysterious powers and magical healing lakes. Each of its eight songs pinpoints a specific moment from one 45-hour orbit of Ömon with atmospheric evocations of fleeting seasons and the rituals that accompany them. Kuunatic’s imaginative flights of visionary fancy achieve the same kind of epic, science-fiction world-building as legendary French jazz-prog heroes, Magma. But their inspirations come from further afield. “The three of us listen to completely different types of music so our ideas and influences come from all different places,” they say.
“We create fantasy stories,” they say, “but it’s deeply influenced by historical events that happened on Earth. So, when we stayed in Switzerland, looking at the Alps and Vallée du Rhône, they made us imagine vast histories of grand Earth and times of billion years ago. We also climbed one of the Alps to do a photo shoot and we learned more about the area. Through the experience, natural scientific facts were added to our concept, and our fictional world became clearer and more vivid. And we scattered the stories around this album.”
“We would say the sounds of the flutes and drums we used have a very strong folk sense and atmosphere and they helped us to create a mysterious landscape,” says Kuunatic. “Sasara and kokiriko are used for the oldest Japanese folk song called ‘Kokiriko Bushi’ as well, so the historical fact is also included in the album’s narrative. But we mixed those Japanese elements with all different musical cultures and ideas, so this is a fusion of ancient times and modern times, crossing borders to borders.”
A sweeping tale of far-off worlds and strange civilisations performed by ritual rhythms, chanted vocals, throbbing electric bass and ancient folk instruments, ‘Wheels of Ömon’ is like nothing you’ve heard before. Climb aboard and let Kuunatic take you on a trip to the edge of imagination.
Kuunatic – ‘Wheels of Ömon’
New album out 11 April 2025 on Glitterbeat
Track-listing:
1. Yew’s Path 07:54
2. Mavya at the Lacus Yom 07:47
3. Disembodied Ternion 05:09 – YouTube (official audio):
4. Myth of Klüna 01:03
5. Yellow Serpent 05:23 – YouTube (official audio)
6. Kuuminyo (feat. Rekpo) 03:07
7. Halu Shanta 04:33
8. Syzygy and a Counter Truth 03:28
Kuunatic:
Instagram: @kuunatic | Facebook: @kuunatic
