Mogwai - 'Lion Rumpus'
Scottish post-rock goliaths Mogwai are back at their very best with latest single “Lion Rumpus”.
Hailing from Glasgow, Scotland, Mogwai are an important piece of the evolution of modern music in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Mainly known as pioneers in the world of post-rock, the group had a lasting impression on many other different genres that came about at the start of the century, since their inception releasing 10 full-length studio albums.
Their 11th is now officially on the way, after they teased a track earlier this year named “God Gets You Back”, a 7-minute track which builds up remarkably with arpeggiating synthesiser parts, loud and crisp drum sounds, and the classic guitar-driven sound that they started off with 29 years ago.
Their latest album is named The Bad Fire, and was produced by John Congleton, who has previously worked on records with St Vincent, Angel Olsen, and John Grant. A Scottish colloquialism for hell, The Bad Fire draws inspiration from a series of uneasy personal moments that members found themselves in after the release of their first UK chart-topping album As The Love Continues in 2021.
“Lion Rumpus” is a spectacular display of energy and emotion, especially for a track that features almost no vocal parts. Through peculiar drum patterns, flanger-laced guitar escapades, and ethereal synth completing the burst of sound, the track only gets better with each section.
Evoking throughout many stages the early days of the band, they still find a way to innovate and evolve the song into something completely fresh and invigorating. This is only reinforced by a great accompanying music video directed by Anthony Crook, which follows a dog walker’s trip through a crowded city, as the protagonist describes how these “magical creatures” alleviate the stress of the urban lifestyle.
The Bad Fire will be out January 24th through Rock Action Records, and will include eight other unreleased tracks along with the two singles already out this year.
Tickets are selling fast for their upcoming world tour, which sees them take on Europe, North America, and Asia, and the incredible burst of sonic spectacle that they are known for is not one you will want to give a miss.
Words by Jay Cohen
