Mother Of Mars announce debut album 'I Hear' on Ransom Note Records

Music

Mother Of Mars present their debut album ‘I Hear’, set for release on our own Ransom Note Records on the 5th March.

The duo of Vito Roccoforte and Gabriel Andruzzi are best known as members of era-defining NY post punkers The Rapture, and are now joined by third bandmate Jaiko Suzuki, on vocals.

With new-and-improved circumstances the newly formed trio venture down different tributaries, journeying into psych, kosmische, avant garde, fourth world and new age dreamscapes, whilst maintaining the live-drummed rhythmic engine of The Rapture.

Although an entirely different proposition, ‘I Hear’ shares a certain kinetic sensibility with their past incarnation, bringing to mind Baldelli’s Cosmic sound, Balearic beat and the euphoric peaks of acid house.

Starting skeletal and echoic, the lazer-guided ride of ‘Durga & Demon’ soon kicks in, sounding like Neu throwing shapes at A Love From Outer Space. Over ten-ish minutes the chugging, trance-dance throb lifts you off the ground in a heady, strobe-lit atmosphere of undulating arpeggios and lightning-bolt stabs. With the first trip over – now languishing in the chill out room with newfound enlightenment – is the sparkling torch song ‘I Hear’. Jaiko’s harmonised vox float gorgeously over a gentle motorik pulse and flashing fairy light synths, which soothe frayed edges to a warm glow.

The bossa-nova Hawkwind vibes of ‘Fall Sing’ are circular, but ever changing, kaleidoscope like – with a simmering pressure cooker energy, dappled by Jaiko’s cumulonimbus dreampop tones. On ‘Matteruno’ she sings sweetly in her mother tongue, adorning a strange juxtaposition of Midori Takada and The Art Of Noise. Like Terry Riley flying through aurora borealis, ‘Through The’ is weird-funk-meets-electronic-minimalism – a climatic tapestry made on cheap Casio gear. Ending the album on a peak is the acid-laced dream-state rush of ‘Space Without A Shadow’, which charts a 45 degree upward trajectory and doesn’t stop until nirvana.

In The Rapture Vito Roccoforte played drums and percussion, whilst Gabriel Andruzzi provided keyboards,
bass, saxophone, and additional percussion. First playing out as The Rapture DJs, before making house, techno and re-edits as Vito and Druzzi, the duo then then circled back to more live and organic music, but this time not rock-based. Mother of Mars’ first release, the ‘Seed 2 Sky’ EP came out on Ransom Note Records in 2018. Knowing Jaiko for years as a drummer and DJ, Vito saw her sing at a party at was blown away by her voice, so the pair asked her to write and record with them.

Helping bring the album into sharp, multi-layered focus was renowned producer/musician/DJ Ewan Pearson, who adds mixing duties for ‘I Hear’ to a CV that also includes Steven Wilson, Gwenno, Royksopp, The Chemical Brothers, Goldfrapp, M83, Tracey Thorn and Metronomy.

The vinyl will only be available to purchase via our crowdfunding campaign for the next 30 days. If we reach our pledge within this period, the LP will be pressed to vinyl.

Tracklist
1. ‘Durga & Demon’
2. ‘I Hear’
3. ‘Fall—Sing’
4. ‘Matteruno’
5. ‘Through The’
6. ‘Space Without A Shadow’

Listen to ‘Durga & Demon’ below…