Album Review: Moglebaum - Ozean EP

If you’re German and a fan of Pokemon, then Moglebaum should probably ring a bell - and you might as well think I made a typo in the name.

Well I’m not here to talk about Nintendo creatures, but to introduce you to a German five-piece band who released a surprising EP on Cosmonostro.

Moglebaum was at first the idea of Simon Ebener-Holscher, producer and jazzpianist. He has soon been joined by Allessandro Fama, Jonas Geyersbeger, Tonio Geugelin and Immanuel Mummelthey. This gave birth to a hybrid music mixing organic and classical instruments to 8-bit beats.

I muss confess: one line particularly stirr my attention in the press kit. “Most of the samples are self-made, with the help of field recording of coffee machines, shopping bags or cactuses.”

Yes, you read it right field recording of cactuses. I have no clue how does that sound like, but let me tell you I came up with a mission: give you an answer by the end of this review.

“Erde” means “Earth” in German. It’s the opening track of Ozean EP. It mixes violin notes, that sound like traditional Japanese music, with gameboy beats and compelling vocals. The vocals mimics a Pokemon language that urges us to follow the creatures in the long grass of Hoenn.

They drive us ashore, to the “Ozean”. As its name suggests, the second track sounds more aquatic - thanks to the profound drum beats. “Ozean” is a creature full of surprise. It appears as a zen violin melody and slowly evolves into mechanical beats & a fit-for-club rhythm.

The violin is a recurring and structuring element throughout the EP construction, and it opens “Synthie and Roma”. The third track puts synths in the forth front. The synth beats echo perfectly the violin steady part, and they take more and more importance throughout the track to create a hip hop infused production. Between SBTRKTish loop and surprising field recording samples, this track is a gem - or a gym badge to the next level?

“Rumpelstilzchen” is the more gameboy-beat-sounding track of the EP, it’s made of infectuous vocals - hence the reference to Grimm’s creature in the title. The violin has almost become a background element and the beats have taken the lead.

“Rumpelstilzchen” feels like a soundtrack to a video game episode between The Legend of Zelda and Pokemon. Let’s hope you won’t fall into the ground as Grimm’s creature did. Otherwise, I guess it’s GAME OVER.

In the end, I haven’t told you how those field recordings of cactuses sounds like. I actually think it’ll be more fun to let you discover where it is hidden. I took me at least five listenings to catch it, so Good Luck on this mission, Foxes!