Mappa Mundi - Musaics (2LP) [Midnight Drive]

Format: 2x12".

Techno, Disco, Italo, Electronic, House, Library, Cosmic, and Ambient frequencies: these are the foundations of Midnight Drive’s sound and philosophy. A label that sheds light on overlooked or underappreciated creations and reissues them with respect for contemporary audiences. A label that respects and understands the connection between these disparate and sometimes forgotten forms of musical expression and celebrates them. Midnight Drive is extremely proud to reintroduce to the world the sublime, cult, post-midnight downtempo sounds of Belgian duo Pieter Kuyl and Jan Van Den Bergh, also known as Mappa Mundi.

Mappa Mundi's sole release, "Musaics," was released in 1990 on the legendary Belgian label USA Import, right at the peak of the early trance and ambient house sounds, exploring the same sonic territory as The Orb, The KLF, Sun Electric, and other kindred projects. A wonderful and immersive blend—or mosaic—of breakbeats, samples, and New Age-style synthesizers, “Musaics” is, without a doubt, a true journey. A spontaneous, late-night studio creation, the result of endless takes and experimentation between Kuyl and Van Den Bergh, who display a deep understanding and shared love for various sounds from around the world. The final result is a meditative and expansive journey that touches upon multiple styles, from laid-back, panoramic techno to frenetic, machine-driven funk powered by drum machines, all while retaining a post-rave atmosphere and a touch of psychedelia. This is, without a doubt, a very special record, a kind of lost gem from a very fertile and interesting period in sample-based music. Definitely the perfect soundtrack for many nights and mornings to come, remastered and presented on two records for optimal sound reproduction.