Mwahaha (self-titled)
LABEL: Mwahaha Music

Mwahaha, an Oakland-based band, refreshingly rely on bass, drums and mellow harmonies as the backbone for their electronic and psychedelic layered tunes. All of these elements are showcased on their newly released, self-titled album.

Initially, I was intrigued by the name alone: Any band confident (or silly) enough to name themselves after a phrase cultivated by modern internet culture at least deserved a listen.

Highlights of the album include “Swimmer” which kicks off the album with the aforementioned elements driving the song forward, the bass line weaving underneath interesting drum concoctions and pretty melodic harmonies. “Rainbow Diamond,” begins with a driving bass and drum beat that gets glued inside of my brain long after listening to the song. A slight echo on the vocals lends variety: The song transitions into poignant harmonies, bridges and odd lyrics that for whatever reason totally seem to work. “Love (with Merrrill Garbus of Tune-Yards)” features dissonant drum and electronic pairing, featuring lyrics that sound slightly underwater. The harmonies and instrumentation bring to mind experimental  album by The Beatles, The Magical Mystery Tour with a modern electronic flair.

“We Will Build Our Own” brings to mind TV on the Radio. It begins with multiple-voice harmonization and gradually builds with electronic instrumentation until it is bumping along at a steady clip that will inflict dancing upon innocent bystanders. Instrumental track “Rivers and Their Teeth” features heavy drums and dueling guitars. You can tell in this song that the band is able to pull off their intensity without relying entirely on electronic components, where they to choose to do so.
 
Overall, this album is complex and weird enough to keep my attention. It’s clever, catchy and exotic and it doesn’t pigeonhole itself by getting stuck on too much of one thing. The psychedelic influence, a very popular thing for bands in 2011, is quite apparent, but it doesn’t ruin it for me as it does with attempts by a couple of other bands I’ve listened to recently that will go unnamed here.


REVIEWED BY KYRSTEN BEAN
KYRSTEN’s FAVORITE TRACKS: “Rainbow Diamond” • “Sleep Deep”
Kyrsten Bean is a freelance writer, a musician and a photographer.

FREE MP3: “Rainbow Diamond”
FREE MP3: “Poinsettia”
FREE MP3: “Love (feat. Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards)”
FREE MP3: “Sleep Deep”
FREE MP3: “Sleep Deep (Odd Nosdam Remix)”