Mong Tong / Maya Ongaku at Crofters Rights
Headfirst Editor's Pick

"Unmissable Guruguru Brain double bill of exceptionally fried space music. Mong Tong are in a world of their own where video games and Taiwanese folklore dance the devil with dub and doom; Maya Ongaku meld whimsical woodwind and Japanese jazz for a tranquil ECM kinda psych-blend. Huge FFO: Sun Araw, King Crimson, Kikagaku Moyo, Minami Deutsch, Incredible String Band, Midori Takada."

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See event details

A gig held at Crofters Rights on Tuesday 14th November. The event starts at 19:00.


A co-headline of oriental psychedelic rock, taking influence from a range of styles, sounds, concepts and cultures - Extra Terrestrial Promotions & Velvet Echoes are proud to present Mong Tong & Maya Ongaku, two of prestigious label Guruguru brain's (founded by members of Kikagaku Moyo) finest exports.

Mong Tong

Mong Tong's music is heavily influenced by Southeast Asian culture, including its mythology and folklore, as well as 60s and 70s psychedelic music. Their sound is characterized by hypnotic rhythms, dreamy melodies, and otherworldly atmospheres. Mong Tong's latest album, "Tao Fire 道火", not only continues the idea behind their previous work, "Indies 印", but also incorporates more local elements such as gamelan music, phin guitar, tabla drums, and Taiwan sisomi.

While sampling more sounds from the street of Southeast Asia, including weddings, funerals, and traditional celebrations, Mong Tong again explores different folk sounds around Austronesia.

Different to their last Guruguru Brain release "Mystery 秘神", "Tao Fire 道火" will take us to a land that is both familiar and fresh. Feel the hot, the crowd, humidity, and ecstasy. This time, welcome to Mong Tong's subtropical world.

Maya Ongaku

Hailing from the seaside communities surrounding Enoshima, a small island located 50 km southwest of Tokyo, maya ongaku is a ragtag collective of local musicians whose brand of earthy psychedelia transcends widely beyond the roots of their inner souls. The name derives not from any kind of ancient civilization, but rather a neologism defined as the imagined view outside one’s field of vision. The band — currently a trio of Tsutomu Sonoda, Ryota Takano, and Shoei Ikeda—finds sanctuary at the Ace General Store, a beachy vintage shop and salon-like space just hidden from sight from the bustling, touristy riverside Subana Street. Between discussions on music and art, curating the vinyl section and manning the register, and chatting up with locals young and old, the members find time to jam and record their spontaneous ideas in the studio tucked away in the back. It’s in this unlikely setting where maya ongaku finds its origins, the culmination of what Sonoda describes as 自然発生 (shizen hassei), meaning spontaneous generation, or the supposed production of living organisms from nonliving matter.

Entry requirements: no age restrictions

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