Genre: Electronic/ Urban Folk / Ambient / Experimental

Track Listing:

01 The Fires of London
02 Camden Book of the dead
03 Have you ever?
04 Where roots think of the child
05 Spare thoughts
06 The ones who walked before
07 Genius Loci
08 Certain shifting angels
09 OK Commuter


When I first laid eyes on the strange looking promo from Mrsix  and Hokano  I expected something different. I was totally taken by surprise. The Psychogeographical Commission is the high light of my year so far. This is the first release and collab of Mrsix and Hokano and between them they create a powerful and mentally charging atmosphere.

Everything about this project is perfection, starting with the cover it self. The CD comes in a fold out cover shaped as a A4 sized map over London's east end. How fitting is that? You are actually physically presented with a metaphorical map. While holding the map in your hands, reading the lyrics, listening to their psychological hymns, they gently lead the listener into a state of consciousness, leaving them open to experience and explore their inner psychological geography. By combining genres such as folk, ambient and post industrial they literally create cross roads for the listener to traverse, they recreate the ambience and structures of urbanity. The title "Genius Loci", referring to the Roman "spirit of the place", is a perfect fit.

The sounds are minimalist, but complimented by spoken word and soft singing, leaving me with a vibe reminiscent of Legendary Pink Dots, Current 93, Coil  or Labraford  yet this is totally different. I have grown quite tired with folk music lately, and this is something so new and interesting as post apocalyptic urban folk music. Dealing with some of the same spiritual questions you would expect from Death In June , yet this is taking it in a completely new direction. While neo folk bands attempt to recreate a past that never existed, a world we long for, a world we never even knew, this takes place here and now. By way of electronic drones and ambient soundscapes, this deals with the industrial world, and the search for spirituality and mythology in our time. The Psychogeographical Commission has chosen another path by saying the industrial world is no longer new and unknown to us, we don't need to long for the lost and forgotten times, we need to find our spirituality and mythology right here and right now. It all leaves me mesmerized.

Their combination of subtle and gentle electronic sounds, and well written lyrics, is a soothing listen. It's calming and meditative, to the point of almost being tantric. The vocals and the production are not of crisp quality, but it really doesn't matter. Their sounds expound a philosophy that takes us on a mental journey of human nature today. As modern humans we live in urban constructs that may seem alien, but has in fact become our natural habitat. The Norwegian poet Rudolf Nilsen and his poem "Storbynatt" (Big city night) from 1925 describes the same feeling, the alienation, yet familiar, safe feeling one gets walking the cold streets at night, the street slights is our sun, the prostitute brushing against your arm is our gentle caress, the crazed homeless schizophrenic whispering his religious delusions is our spirituality.

The tall concrete buildings are our temples and the fashion mannequins in the huge glass windows our goddesses. Magic is found in the new fancy designer drugs, the spirits are hijacked and milked by the millions of frauds wallowing in the capitalistic delusions. Mrsix and Hokano tap into something inside me. There are a million ways to express these emotions and most would choose a more violent and less organic approach. But in keeping their project low key, they evoke understanding and a connection. A healing melodic ointment if you will. Mrsix and Hokano shared an emotion, created a solution and they pass it on to us. It's a magical gift.

The moment I pressed play, I literary fell back into my seat and my pulse went down. My mind drifted in and out of good and bad memories, and for me who spends a great deal of time thinking about my place as a human being on this planet, it's like they have been watching my dreams and nightmares for years. Mrsix and Hokano are mood creators. They don't force their way into your head, so if you don't have the time to let them get inside, you probably won't get much out of their music. If you are however a thinker like me, you will be left feeling less alone, a little less confused and totally relaxed. I rarely come across art with such intent, and flawless execution. I live in a city with 500.000 citizens, listening to this music on my laptop, it reached me all the way in Norway, and now I am sharing my experience with you. This is a magical gift of communication, reaching each other simply through thoughts and emotions, instant reactions commuting in and out of each others consciousness. This is our spirituality in an urban world. I feel more connected to my own world as the music ends. And that is a massive accomplishment. Well done.