2LP 180gr. gatefold incl. download card & poster | CD 6-sider digipak
___________________________
„Love On A Far Away Planet“ (Sun Ra)
„Space Will Be My Home?“ (Mop Mop)
MOP MOP continue their journey through musically wide open spaces and places. Refining their sound even more, creating an unique and deep atmosphere based on the idea of traditional Gnawa rhythms mixed with a heavy Dub-Jazz-Funk pulse. They left the „isle Of Magic“ – but the magical experience of their music and vibe gets even more exciting . . .
… as ANDREA BENINI and MOP MOP once again take a wonderful imaginary trip to a place which echoes and results in another deep musical trip. From the „Isle Of Magic“ to „Lunar Love“ – „There are other places out there“ – Sun Ra knew about these places outta space, MOP MOP now take a journey from a mystical bright shining star called „Adhara“ to Mother Earth, being aliens from a kind of similar but yet different planet which they had to leave as they have destroyed and abused their ground, now in search of a new land. Looking at our blue planet from a different point of view. „Show me this place they call Earth and let me land this ship“, says ANTHONY JOSEPH in one of the key tracks „Spaceship:Earth“.
Starting the trip with the soothing sounds of a Hang Drum, „Alfa“ leads into the four movements of „Lunar Love“ – The Journey, The Awakening, The Experience and Close Encounters. „Adhara“ then sounds like the Sultans Of Swing found their Karmacoma finally, melodies of leaving and inquiring discoveries at the same time. Unquestionably, Adhara must have been a wonderful place, but now it’s time to find a new life somewhere in space, all under the sign of the magical „Lunar Love“ in the end. Hardly anyone can elude the irresistibly rhythms of intrumental tracks like „Habibi“ or „Plato“ as parts of the journey through space and time. „Supreme“, a beautiful and soulful love ballad and the dreamy „Foreign Correspondent“, which is about the amalgamation of aliens and humans, the destiny for a new way of living and caring, are the soundtrack to the release in a quite peaceful setting after a long journey.
„Lunar Love“ once again features over ten brilliant musicians, each one contributing their art homogeneously to ANDREA BENINI’s musical visions. ALEX TREBO on piano, PASQUALE MIRRA on vibraphone, balafon and marimba, SALVATORE LAURIOLA on electric and double bass, DANILO MINEO playing all kinds of primary percussions like surdo, udu drums, tumbadora and the morrocan krakebs, which BENINI also uses on most of the tracks like a traditional drum set. Additional hang, ARP synthesizers, Moog, guitars and many other instruments create this unique atmosphere of the album. Poet and musician ANTHONY JOSEPH on the vocals adding his outstanding poetry as an essential ingredient, telling the story and matching perfectly with the overall vibe of the tribal Dub Jazz Funk pulse. WAYNE SNOW’s sweet voice making „Supreme“ this beautiful love song and Ninja Tune artist ANNABEL ELLIS dreamy chant inspired by Satie and Debussy feels just right in place in „Foreign Correspondent“.
The whole album has been recorded in five excellent studios located in Berlin and Ravenna using vintage analog equipment for he bliss of a warm sound, which can only be achieved by using analogue tape in the
end. „Lunar Love“ is MOP MOP’s fifth studio album and it turns out to be BENINI’s best work to date, deep and sometimes dark, but uplifting, very soulful and very original at the same time. Combining his afro american jazz background with a tribal offbeat approach and a wonderful story on top. Reaching out to a state of trance which feels very good once you let yourself go. Please take your seats and join MOP MOP on this journey to these „Other places out there“ you haven’t seen and heard yet.
„So take the dark away, leave me the day“ ANTHONY JOSEPH
Feedback:
THE FINANCIAL TIMES „ Lunar Love harks back to the heydays of AfroFuturism. 4**** „
LE MONDE „Tropical et futuriste, aquatique et funky, africain, sans doute, mais aussi soul et assoupli de jazz ou d’élasticité jamaïcaine“
FIP RADIO „Trois ans après “Isle Of Magic”, le combo afro-jazz funk d’Andrea Benini revient avec un superbe cinquième album studio le 6 mai.“
FAZE MAGAZIN „10/10 Fantastisches Resultat. Album des Monats.“
THE EAR „It is possible to sum up this album in two words: simply mesmerizing.“
LAURENT GARNIER „Looooove Mop Mop. Will present this album on my radioshow“
OSUNLADE „beautiful art“
JEREMY SOLE „ That intersection between classy and nasty“
TIM LOVE LEE „Frickin wonderful“
WICKED JAZZ SOUNDS „a wonderful album“
URGENT FM „grooo-vy. Pure instant bliss“
DJ NOVA – NOVA PLANET RADIOSHOW „Don’t sleep, this is one of the best jazz and beyond album of the year.“
CIUT 89.5 FM CANADA „Polyrhythmic perfection!“
RADIO HELSINKI „ I have a feeling this will be five stars for everyone who gives it a chance“
STOMPRADIO LONDON „ my ears have now had there maintenance and are reborn. This is fantastic“
IRMA RECORDS „ Surely the most creative album from Mop Mop so far. There some amazing cuts such as Adhara, Supreme, Lunar Love or Habibi“
DR. BEST „ …to come straight to the point: a fantastic new album! An exciting journey through sound, space and time.“
RADIO FM BRATISLAVA „ Deep and soulful. Fantastic album“
RADIO EUROSTAR 101.7 FM „ i am amased about the bueauty of this new MOP MOP release. To be honest i did not expect that he will rich again the hights of isle of magic…but hear he delivers another gem of modern spiritual jazz funk for the dancefloor.“
45RPM RADIOSHOW „ Every new Mop Mop album becomes more and more awaited. And it never disappoints. I just love “Lunar Love”!
KLASSIK RADIO „ love the vibe & the sound of the album“
MIGRATIONS RADIO „ Spiritual thing. Excellent album.“
FUNKHAUS EUROPA „Love it“ / „atmospheric, eclectic, elastik… love it!“
AFROBASE / TOTALLY RADIO „love this album“
QUINCY JOINTZ „wonderful. Absolutely a must-have-album“
THE HOT BOX RADIOSHOW „interesting venture into new territories which is going to be a real grower“
BOOM SHAKA LAKA RADIO SHOW „Nice musical trip. Love it !“
RADIO X „ Nice Record & full support“
FULGEANCE „nice mood ! great discover for me“
DJ SIMBAD „love Mop Mop“
RADIO CARDIFF „ Mop mop are proving to become a musical force in their own right.Borrowing without stealing and making music that I listen to rather than play in the background“
KETCH A VIBE RADIOSHOW „ i love the spiritual feel throughout and i love my mate Annabel Lee’s contribution outstanding tunes.“
SOLA ROSA „ I love the progression of Mop Mop’s sound. Organic and unique. Cant wait to really get my head in to this album“
