Unknown Mortal Orchestra / Ministry of Alienation

07/15/2020

Psychedelic rock group Unknown Mortal Orchestra (a.k.a UMO) was originally started by Kiwi boy Ruban Nielson (2/4) who is also the group's lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter.

UMO consists of several live and studio musicians, but the main members comprise of bassist and synth operator, Jacob Portrait (3/4), and Kody Nielson (1/4) on drums and backing vocals.

Genre - Psychedelic rock, Lo-fi, Indie Rock, Contemporary R&B

I first heard UMO on a Tame Impala Radio playlist and was instantly hooked on their distinct sound of fuzzed-out electric guitar and washed out vocals. Ministry of Alienation is part of the group's latest album Sex and Food (2018) The album overall is less vibrant and soulful compared to the previous release in 2015, Multi-Love (2015). Nevertheless, it still manages to hit all the right spots sonically. There's something about the punchy percussions and electric sitar riffs - so mellow and memorable. This paired with the distorted vocals that pack plenty of wet reverb really pulls the whole piece together elevating its creepy, somber elements.

Apart from the music, the lyrics are nothing short of intriguing. Ruban has a way with words that really accentuate his nihilistic thinking about the social and political world, which is refreshing, to say the least.

I'm keen to know what UMO comes out with next and how they might (or might not) shift away from their unique sound and instrumentals.

If you enjoy Ministry of Alienation, I'd suggest giving these a go:

Necessary Evil
Monki
We're Not In Love
How Many Zeros