eternal peasant – JOÃO ORECCHIA

MOTÈL MARI

OTHER ELECTRICITIES 2012

There are still kings and queens in this world, how disappointing. Small things stay small. Things get lost. Peasants, all of us…

After performing on Hands and Feet (Other Electricities, 2009), Mpumi Mcata and Tshepang Ramoba (both of BLK JKS) would frequently join João Orecchia on stage, the trio creating solid walls of explosive sound, bringing vertigo and unexpected outbursts of dancing to the Johannesburg underground.

While writing the songs of Eternal Peasant, João informed Mpumi and Tshepang that they were now “part of the furniture,” and they would need to stay in the band, or he would have no place to sit. “Aaight,” they answered. And João thus continued writing this music with his friends and their psychedelic African rock tendencies in mind. João’s skeletons gained flesh and meat in the studio with Mpumi and Tshepang, eventually resulting in this, Eternal Peasant.

The impact of this new process is tangible, with the result far closer sonically to that of a band than Orecchia’s previous methods: working primarily alone, gathering material from guest musicians to be later chopped and arranged. In fact, the process-transformation beckoned a new name, Motél Mari.

released July 17, 2012

João Orecchia, Mpumelelo Mcata, Tshepang Ramoba.

Released by Other Electricities on limited-edition clear vinyl LP in die-cut jacket with bonus disc including the full album (.wav & .mp3), bonus tracks, a video and a “living remix” program (Mac & PC).