After building a solid backlog of unpredictable records that flowed through jazz, psych, prog, and space rock territory like cosmic drifters, Japanese combo Kikagaku Moyo settle down a little bit on 2018's Masana Temples, and come up with their most unified and cohesive record yet.

The band worked with an outside producer for the first time, journeying to Lisbon to work with jazz guitarist Bruno Pernadas.

He and the band tone down their stylistics excesses in favor of a more streamlined approach featuring a tightly wound rhythm section, more concise songwriting, and a clean and direct production style.

The songs themselves tend to be more laid-back and dreamlike too, with a tiny bit of West Coast cosmic folk floating around the edges like wood smoke.

Tracks like "Nazo Nazo" and "Orange Peel" drift and shimmer like the best peaceful psych imaginable, with tender vocals and gentle guitar lines; "Fluffy Kosmisch" lives up to its amazing title by sounding like Can and Broadcast jamming together; and the whole album is a subdued treat that feels warm and comforting.

Fans wanting the full freakouts and stylistic U-turns they found on previous records might be left feeling a little shortchanged, as only a couple tracks feature the guitars getting weird and mighty.

The free-flowing "Dripping Sun" gets trippy and loose near the end and the penultimate "Gatherings" has lots of heavy guitar wandering going on, maybe even enough to satisfy those in need of some excessive soloing.

Even then, fans who want the expansive Kikagaku Moyo of the past might want to check back later, because this time around the band is on a relaxed and restrained journey.

Of course, those people could stick around and experience a great relaxed and restrained psychedelic album instead of skipping out, because that's exactly what Masana Temples is.