From Space by Mi-Gu is an extremely weird album, but it does that very well. The album was released on September 6th, 2006, so it’s nearing the 20 year mark of its existence. There was a single CD release from their label, Atsugua Records, which seems to be a Japan exclusive. There are only 10 songs on From Space with the combined time of them all being 36 minutes and 9 seconds. Some genres this album is described as are post-rock and neo-psychedelia.
Mi-Gu is a Tokyo duo consisting of Yuko Araki and Hirotaka Shimizu (at the time of From Space). These two are pretty interesting, both rubbing together with Mike Watt and Yuka Honda. The duo of Mi-Gu and Yuka Honda eventually ended up in the Plastic Ono Band with Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon. Araki and Shimizu together create this very open sound with mainly speaking vocals (at least in From Space). I mean this in the best way possible when I describe their music as awkward, like not the kind that leaves you silently wanting to get away but a kind that is very calming.
There are also some sounds in this album that are so familiar but I couldn’t name where from. The song “I can’t do it alone so please help me” has this electric piano playing that feels nostalgic and I just can’t figure out why. There’s also the use of analog synthesizers to create this deep buzzing that I just really like. When Araki does sing it tends to escalate to a very high point. My favorite songs on this album are “From Space”, “No Matter”, “Floating”, “Inside you, inside me, in a dream” and “I can’t do it alone so please help me”.
There are a few problems I have with this album. There are like three songs I consider interludes, which makes the album that much shorter. I also just don’t really care for “touch wood” because Araki just says touch wood for like four minutes. I’m giving From Space by Mi-Gu a 3.9/5 because it really is just sweet, it never puts me in a negative space plus it is just really cool. This album reminds me of biology, I think it’s because of the album cover but I feel that it sticks.
