OG – Flora Nova Munde (2024, 2LP oG musique) 

RELEASE INFO:

Label: oG musique

Format: LP, Album, Limited Numbered Edition, Black Vinyl, Gatefold Sleeve, 200 copies

Release Date: 6 June 2024 

Ludo is a Belgian multi-talented multi-instrumentalist who uses the name ‘oG musique’ as his creative vehicle, so far he has chosen a very low profile as far as biographical information is concerned… The little that we know is that he – and his long-time partner Will Z. – was a member of the fantastic band Cosmic Trip Machine (5 albums from 2009 to 2013). He has previous albums at Musea Records (France), Freaksville Records (Belgium), and Nasoni Records (Germany). He collaborated with the late Daevid Allen (Gong, Soft Machine…) on Will Z. album “New Start” and with the ‘cult’ Book of Am team for “Book of Intxixu” album (also featuring Daevid Allen and Gilly Smith), and for the part V of the Book of Am project (Wah Wah Records). As for the artwork, Ludo – oG musique – has previous collaborations with Philippe Druillet (sci-fi comics), Marijke Koger (Beatles, Hollies…), Wayne Anderson (Incredible String Band), and Una Woodruff… 

Bandcamp mentions: “Distinguished by refined songwriting and crafty arrangements, concept albums by oG create an unruly sonic universe within the confines of ethereal folk-rock. Flora Nova Munde is a Healing journey. A pilgrimage to discover Underground Kingdoms, Fauna and Flora of the New World, to meet Healers with their potions and rituals, sometimes beneficent sometimes maleficent, and to find, perhaps, Redemption at the end of the path”…

“Flora Nova Munde” is the 6th album by oG, a double vinyl album with 31 songs in an acid-folk style, directly inspired by the illustrations of Una Woodruff (UK) and recorded with the help of long-time collaborators Will Z. (ex-Cosmic Trip Machine) and Alice Artaud. Out of the 31 songs in total, 10 were composed by oG, 17 by oG and Will Z., and the rest 4 by oG & Alice Artaud. oG is on bass, guitars, organ, and backing vocals, Will Z. is on vocals and percussions, and Alice Artaud is on vocals. All 31 songs are clock ticking from 1:14 min to 5:43 min in a total duration of 1 hour 20 minutes and 53 seconds! The self-titled “Flora Nova Munde” is the opener track of the album, a track that acts as a glorious prelude that introduces the music that follows, moving to “fields” such as Progressive, Psychedelic, Folk, Acid (not particularly in that order, hehe). As the album evolves and the music fluently flows, it moves from one path to another, from road to road, blending Pop, Folk, & Rock, resulting in styles such as Canterbury Rock, Acid Folk, Cosmic Rock, Dream Pop, Instrumental Music, … Psychedelia… A few tracks that got my attention and captured/captivated me are the following: the tremendous psychedelically creepy Floyd-istic “Burrowing Creatures”, ideal for the “Obscured By The Clouds” soundtrack. The most shocking and sensational 98 seconds that I listened to a very long time ago and goes by the name “Spell Caster”, I heard it so many times and I’m still wondering how it is possible to BLOW one Man’s Mynd in just 98 seconds… “Spell Caster” took me way back to the early 70s and the magical Kalacakra album (reference song: “Nearby Shiras”). “Celebrate” with its Kosmically trippy Acid Folkie dynamism, the Cosmic Futuristic instrumental “Subterranean Kingdoms”, and the unbelievable piece of occult Acid Psych called “Ritual”. Of course, there’s more… “Amarant”, a track full of ‘nature’, dreamily psych with warm female vocals. “The Great Mage”, occult Funky Cosmic-a-delia! “The Sorcerer”, an extraordinary superior Acidly drenched Modern-Aged Folkie-Psychedelic tune! “Iridescent Worm”, futuristic and experimental B-movie-like Psych! “Growing In The Dark”, another Acid Dark Folk Occult Cosmic Trippy Dream-a-delic tune! “Treize”, 2:33 min of well-crafted beautiful & weird Psychedelia. And last but not least, the track that closes the album, “From Dew To Gold”, an amazing tune, phantasmagoric, acoustically trippy, and folkie, and totally psyched out, an early 70s Pink Floyd-influenced track with keys that are literally ‘Heaven Sent’! So, “Flora Nova Munde” is not only one of the Best albums of 2024, is one of the best albums of the last 10 or so years! It’s albums like this one here, that make me wanna go on and keep buying LP records by non-60s (hehe) artists! That Good! Feed Your Head… Support the Underground… Listen to oG musique… TimeLord Michalis      

Tracklist

Links:

Listen/Buy the album through oG musique Bandcamp