Orgōne
  • Orgōne

    Orgōne

    Orgōne is a pillar of West Coast soul music, maintaining an  unmissable touring presence for more than a decade. The  group’s arresting intensity, impeccable playing style, and  undeniable, irresistible chemistry have earned them the  reputation as one of the tightest bands of the modern era.  Fresh off of doubling as the studio band for discodelic  sensation Say She She and circling the globe as the live band  for their wildly successful world tour, Orgōne is back in  California and coming in hot with Chimera, a fire-breathing  spectacle of psychedelic Afro-soul. Produced by Sergio Rios  (Neal Francis, Say She She), Chimera is an electrifying, dream like odyssey, tripping through the hazy swamps of New  Orleans, weaving textures of entrancing voodoo soul,  thrumming Afro-funk, and stoney psych-rock. 
    In Chimera, the heavy-hitting new LP from Orgōne, out  February 9th, 2024 on 3 Palm Records, the Los Angeles-based  outfit carves tough, gritty, infectious grooves into heady  dance rhythms. Taking its name from a mythical beast with  the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a  serpent, Chimera conjures a state that is at once trance-like  and heart-poundingly exciting. The album offers a  spellbinding mix of cathartic instrumentals, dub voyages, and  soulful vocal performances by Jamie Allensworth, Terin Ector,  and Congolese musical alchemist Mermans “Mofaya”  Mosengo. 
    Known for their gripping instrumentals and incendiary live  show, the band is firing on all cylinders and the earned 
    confidence of this time-tested, cult-favorite crew is on display  throughout Chimera. Describing the process of producing and engineering this psych-funk showcase, guitarist and Orgōne  co-founder Sergio Rios says, “The album really took form  organically. It’s raw and dark with a hopeful thread  throughout that’s highlighted by the incredible soul singers  we work with. There's a looseness to most of the cuts, giving  the album the feeling of a shadowy dream.” With Chimera, the band has tapped into a deeper version of themselves. The  sounds are fresh yet classic, the grooves are ferocious and  infectious, and the vocal performances are captivating. 
    The album opens like a heady puff of smoke in the face with  “Hallowed Dreams,” drawing the listener into a state where  reality blurs and the music takes control. The focus track,  “Zum Zum,” is a hooky Afro-funk dance floor heater that  synchronizes your heart rate to its propulsive percussion, the  hypnotic rhythm building into a raucous, psychedelic climax.  Mermans “Mofaya” Mosengo sings in his native Lingala,  jabbing and weaving around the rhythm section’s chugging  force with his gruff and soulful voice. On the raw and rousing  “Tula Muisi (Dance Like Them),” a tapestry of Afrobeat and  heavy psych-rock bolsters Mosengo’s call for unity and  respect, which translates to “Hear the music, and dance like  them.” 
    On “Lies & Games,” Terin Ector brings yearning soul vocals to  this righteous lament of the rocky road to redemption over  grimy rhythm guitar, spaced-out synths, breakbeat-worthy 
    drums, and haunting Wailers-inspired backing vocals.  “Parasols” is a jaunty, head-bobbing slab of greasy New  Orleans funk, and a heartfelt nod to Josie-era Meters and the  unmistakable early 70s-era production of Allen Toussaint. The  instrumental serves up a punchy, slightly tipsy rhythm that  sways with sweetly melodic gospel-tinged organ. 
    Drawing on multicultural influences of Afrobeat, Southern  soul, psych-rock, and raw funk, Chimera bridges the darkest  reaches of psychedelia to the highest peaks of joyful dance  music. With easy SoCal swagger, deep New Orleans roots, and a profound reverence for the sounds of the African diaspora,  Orgōne creates a unique, transporting experience that feels  untethered to any single place or time. Relentlessly vibey and  immersive from start to finish, Orgōne’s newest LP feels like a  sustained hypnagogic hallucination — the place between  waking and sleep where reality is fluid and anything feels  possible. 
    From its inception, Orgōne has always been a chimera — a  multifaceted creation and the physical manifestation of  impossible quixotic dreams. Chimera will delight fans of early  Orgōne while showcasing the band’s effortless and endless  ability to shape-shift. It’s an electrifying, mesmerizing record  sure to exceed expectations and keep the listener rapt. 
    For fans of Altun Gun, Khruangbin, King Gizzard and the  Lizard Wizard, Witch, Goat & Monophonics.