a propos:
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.
