Rob’s Album Of The Week: Black Moth Super Rainbow’s SeeFu Lilac

Genres blur in today’s music. Sometimes it’s a simple merging of two styles while other times it can be very abstract and all over the place. Then there’s music that’s stunningly weird, but able to strike a chord with your senses. Psychedelic electronic trip-hoppers Black Moth Super Rainbow are exactly that, with Tobacco’s entrancing vocals providing mellow tones to the distorted sounds. The act from Pittsburgh have “secretly” released their 6th album SeeFu Lilac recently, and it has interdimensional qualities that are duplicated by only a few.

What makes Black Moth Super Rainbow different from a lot of other bands are the unique instruments they incorporate into their music. For example, the way Tobacco gets his voice to sound like a robot with each track on SeeFu Lilac is with a vocoder. The group also uses a Rhodes piano and a mellowtron in many other songs. It makes for experimental music with a creative flair that not many artists can achieve. SeeFu Lilac also shows a lot more of a laid-back vibe than the quintet’s 2012 release Cobra Juicy.

Listening to this album can definitely relax your mind a bit. Structurally there’s a groove, but there’s a certain complexity that’s hard to put my finger on. To keep things simple, here are my top tracks off of the Album Of The Week.

I like “DVD Sweetner” a lot; it starts off with a sheen of electronica and then a clapping beat settles in for a righteous listening experience.  Humming its way to your speakers, “The Chew” is somewhat droning, but the bass and synths will excite you. Delving into the psychedelic realm is “Brotherhood of Sisters;” it bounces from place to place with a mix of acoustic guitar, dreamtoned keys and a slowed-down bass.

Black Moth Super Rainbow’s next show isn’t until January 14 when they perform at the Metro in Chicago. Fans in New England can see this act from The Steel City at Brighton Music Hall in Allston, Massachusetts, on March 31. Until then, you can stream SeeFu Lilac at the link below and grab a physical copy when it comes out on February 5. It’s a trippy release that’ll warp your mind into a psychedelic pancake.

Stream SeeFu Lilac on Bandcamp: http://blackmothsuperrainbow.bandcamp.com/album/seefu-lilac

Black Moth Super Rainbow’s Website: http://www.blackmothsuperrainbow.com/