The Mysterious Goat

The word about Goat’s startling debut album ‘World Music’ has been spreading through the music press like wildfire recently, and rightly so; the record is a vibrant concoction of psych-rock histrionics, defiant afro-beat swagger, tribal Voodoo magic and crunchy garage punk stomp. Imagine if Fela Kuti had accompanied Can circa 1972 on an intrepid, hallucinogen fuelled expedition into the heart of the Amazon jungle and you’ll be somewhere near the right ballpark, but ‘World Music’ truly is a trip that must be experienced for one’s self – it’s kind of like the musical equivalent of a Shamanic, ayahuasca based rite of passage.

But just who are these mysterious folk responsible for this gloriously eclectic aural odyssey? According to their press release, the band hails from the tiny, remote village of Korpilombolo in Sweden. Apparently Korpilombolo has had a long history of Voodoo worship, which informs Goat’s music and hangs over the village to this day. Living out in a nearby commune, Goat consists of 3 core members but is an ever-evolving and adaptable entity, existing in some form or another for centuries as a traditional communal practice and only now venturing out into the wide world of popular music.

Whether you believe their tales or not, I’d wager your interest is certainly piqued right now. Shenanigans and questionable backstory aside, there’s no denying the righteous funky fury of their music -‘World Music’ is one of the freshest and most absorbing listens of the year so far. Their first ventures into the live arena (well, outside their commune, of course) are bound to be revelatory rituals; the band has claimed in recent interviews that the live experience will be much more expansive and free-form than their recorded debut, leading us to believe that there truly will be some kind of Voodoo magic summoned during their set at Supersonic…!

You can visit Goat’s website to find out more.