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New Emamouse: “Floating Wide Luffa”

The smallest alteration can create a significant ripple in Emamouse’s world. Much of the sonic architecture found on Floating Wide Luffa feels familiar — synthesizer melodies stumble about on songs such as “Matsuri No Yoko No Ie” and “Fusen No Makoto,” while Emamouse’s own vocals still sound as wonderfully wonky as ever, especially when sampled and manipulated into a steady stream of syllable rain on “A Flowery Cocoon.” Yet they also bring the guitar in more across this album, and this decision lends some of Luffa’s best songs a more intimate air, even the ones still playing out like a parallel dimension carnival. Yet they also construct the aching “Tori Ni Naatara,” which features no electronics, instead favoring acoustic guitar strums and some singing. The album isn’t quite “Emamouse Goes Acoustic,” but features moments like this that reveal new corners to their world. Get it here, or listen below.