Mo Rayon drops new LP ‘Fantasy’

Hailing from the quiet, northern landscapes of Rosh Pina in Israel, Mo Rayon’s musical world is informed as much by isolation as it is by imagination. An experimental producer with over a decade of work behind him, his journey into music began with beatboxing through school days, absorbing the textures of his surroundings and letting curiosity guide the process. Back in 2008, he started an exploratory relationship with sound that’s since flourished into something more defined, though still driven by his adventurous approach.

His output sits somewhere between avant-garde hip hop and something harder to name, informed by experimental impulses and a sense of romanticism that simmers in the background. That tension between structure and abstraction has been central since the beginning and when he introduced his sonic identity with the 2013 debut EP Astral Walks Forever, it marked the arrival of an artist already thinking beyond what’s come before.

The years that followed saw him steadily build a catalogue across multiple releases and while linking up with other artists, he’s collaborated with the likes of Kalter, Lilburfdayboo, Purplemane, A7 and YutManBig along the way. Part of his vision revolves around a penchant for repetition as a tool for immersion. Loops, patterns and recurring motifs become a way of drawing the listener deeper into his world, creating a sense of movement that feels circular.

It’s a method that values patience and that context carries through into his latest full-length release titled Fantasy, a record that jumps fully into the idea of escape. Framed as a complete listening experience, the sixteen-track outing is designed to be absorbed in sequence rather than dipped into, forming a self-contained space that exists slightly out of reach from the everyday.

Set up by the “Love Theme” intro piece, pitched spoken word vocals float above swirling instrumental tones to instil a sense of detached reality while the laid back shuffle of the beat and pulse of bass craft a hypnotic rhythmic flow. Title track “Fantasy” then arrives with misty string textures and rustling percussion as mellow vocals hover above, stitching smooth melodic threads into the immersive sonic fabric. With an abrupt instrumental shift and changing vocal styles, it’s an epic display of Mo’s creativity and wholly absorbing sound.

“Maha Mantra (Thinking Allowed)” hops from intricate instrumental flicker into a grooving scene of snapping beats and slick guitar leads before “Elonor’s Pain” slides into something more atmospheric, where eerie choral textures and jittery rhythms underpin commanding vocal lines. Tracks like “Laughing Skull” serve up a disorienting vibe of wobbly low end energy and marching rhythms while “Time Passes” takes a detour into a smokey sphere of jaunty piano-led arrangement and downtempo metallic percussion.

Other highlights on the record come with songs like “Cardroom Preblessing” which lays down a subtly intense listening experience where pattering drums carry a mesmeric blend of dark textures, expressive vocalisations and consuming atmosphere. “Love Economy” flows with muted percussive shots and chanted vocal lines, taking listeners on a transportive musical voyage before “2DEEP” brings a loose groove of tapped drums and warm bass notes led by low slung vocal delivery.

“The Night & The Freshness” gently flows with hazy instrumental tones, stuttering rhythms and deep vocal elements, resulting in an engrossing soundscape unlike any other. Closing the album with “Bag Back,” hushed vocals drift above the steady plod of restrained instrumentation, concluding the release with an oddly dreamy yet moving moment. Once again presenting a wildly original musical experience, with Fantasy, Mo Rayon offers another incredible outing that’s engaging, memorable and challenging all at once.

Listen to Fantasy below