JuJu… by way of a meandering introduction to Fuzz Club Records.
As you may or may not know, I’m a fan of independent record labels. I love the now-defunct Sarah Records and Great Pop Supplement labels, and have had subscriptions to services like Graveface Records and Saint Marie Records. One of my current subscriptions is to Fuzz Club Records, based in the UK, who send me their featured album every month pressed on exclusive colour vinyl. In their own words: “Fuzz Club is an independent record label, online store and production company that focuses on experimental rock and roll, influenced by shoegaze, electronica, noise, garage, blues, folk and psychedelia.” They also regularly present albums featuring Drone, Dark Wave and Heavy Psych.
Some of these styles may not be familiar to you, and that’s completely fine! (If you knew all of them, I’d want to hire you to write for this blog, haha!) Essentially, these are offshoots of rock that tend to be heavier and noisier than what gets spoon-fed to the masses on the radio, and a bit more experimental. It’s difficult to generalise the sounds coming out of Fuzz Club because, although they’re all linked in some intangible way, they’re also unique. Some feature heavy distorted guitars, some long passages of repeated noise, some chanting, some are instrumental, some electronic, some purely guitar-based. What I particularly love, though, is that many of the artists, no matter where they land on the “heavy” spectrum, incorporate what you might typically consider dance sounds and beats. Something about their music just makes you move. They are not afraid to experiment with synthesizers, electronics, tribal chants… you name it. A lot of what comes out of the grooves of a Fuzz Club record is genuinely mind-blowing.
Fuzz Club releases albums on their own imprint, carries select offerings from other labels, and also releases an annual double LP collection called “Reverb Conspiracy”, a curated showcase of artists from around the world working in the styles Fuzz Club specialises in. I love the “Reverb Conspiracy” collections and have all of them (the latest so far being Volume Six). One of the things I love about them is that there’s always something that sends me off to investigate an artist’s other work. I’ve discovered quite a few amazing, relatively unknown bands via these collections. (Have I mentioned Frankie and the Witch Fingers or Sonic Jesus yet??)
One of the artists that Fuzz Club was initially curating has since released their second and third albums on the Fuzz Club imprint proper. I’m talking about JuJu.
JuJu is the brainchild of Sicilian multi-instrumentalist Gioele Valenti (formerly of LayLlamas and Herself). What started as a one-man project has evolved into a full touring band that has performed throughout Europe. According to Valenti, “JuJu is an exploration of our relationship with the earth, and how it is increasingly confrontational and strained.” The music features shamanic chanting, tribal drumming, rhythmic guitars, driving bass and locked-groove vibes. Despite the fact that you’ll find yourself moving to it, don’t mistake it for “dance music”, think a happier Joy Division participating in a pagan ritual, with a soundtrack provided by Kraftwerk, The Rolling Stones and early Smashing Pumpkins. If that doesn’t pique your curiosity, you might need CPR. 😉
This is sixties-style psychedelia brought into the twenty-first century with a thoroughly modern twist. It can get you grooving, or guide you through a meditation, often within the same song. It will get you rocking and shaking your head, but it will also, essentially, ask you to think about your place in the world.
My introduction to JuJu was the track “Bring ‘Em War”, featured on “Reverb Conspiracy Volume Five”. I loved the sound and energy immediately, investigated further, and realised that JuJu has a consistent and consistently good vibe across their whole catalogue. I ended up buying all three albums and enjoyed them end to end… (well, there was one track I didn’t like. I’ll leave you to figure out which one!) You won’t be disappointed.
To see if JuJu might be up your alley, check out the driving bass on “Patrick” from their second album “Our Mother Was a Plant”, and the sing-song chorus of “God is a Rover” from their latest, “Maps and Territories”. Maybe it isn’t for everybody… but it blew me away and I hope you love it!
All three albums are available digitally via Bandcamp, though some physical copies (vinyl and CD) are sold out. Support the artist and buy directly if you can!
#MusicBoxTW
