Ogre Heights by Mondo Lava

"In an era where the word 'tropical' is both grossly overused and casually appropriated as a way to describe everything from palm tree-related kitsch to airy electronic music featuring pan flutes, marimbas, and steel drums, the experimental duo Mondo Lava have achieved something truly special. On Ogre Heights, James Ketchum and Leon Hu capture what the tropics could sound like in the modern age, where an increasingly varied cluster of influences combine to create truly fascinating music. The reference points are all over the place—video games, lo-fi beat masters, hip-hop, salsa greats, Brazilian Tropicália, psych rock—and all of them are blended and transformed into bewildering little worlds that contain multitudes. The album plays out like a fever dream soundtracked by warped guitar loops, steel drums, lush, velvety synths, and twinkling ‘70s Tropicália piano." - Amaya Garcia

HAUSMO77 - CS / DIG

Mondo Lava is James Ketchum and Leon Hu. Sometimes Gareth Ewing.
burntcrust@gmail.com