Turpsycore

For "Ultra-Loyal Sheepdog," Momus created "a simulacrum of Japanese stereotypes of English, notions of cuteness in Japan and notions of sheep [...] fascinated by the way sheep are portrayed (in Japan) — a land in which one never sees an actual sheep."[2]

Turpsycore is a triple album dedicated to music's "so-called 'eccentrics'." Two out of three of discs are cover versions of David Bowie and Magazine/the Buzzcocks' Howard Devoto.[3][4] The song "Ultra-Loyal Sheepdog" began as a Tumblr post in March 2014 when the musician wrote a biography on one of the characters in Kyary Pamyu Pamyu's "Mottai Night Land" video.[2]

The title is a deliberate misspelling of Terpsichore, the muse for joy and dance in Greek mythology.[2][5][6] Likewise, the name is a nod to turpentine and turpitude.[7] Also relating to Greek mythology, Momus is the god of mockery and blame.[5]

The color palette is a reference to Greece's polychrome technique.[7] His later album Glyptothek was published in the same year.[5] Songs from Turpsycore and from other 2000s albums Bambi, Bibliotek, and Glyptothek were recollected in the Cherry Red Records anthology Pubic Intellectual.[8]

The content of the first disc was originally published by Sony Music Japan.[9] The second and third discs of Turpsycore were recorded at the "cabaret concerts" in London's Cafe Oto in September 2014.[7] The cover is designed by Hagen Verleger.[9][6] It was nominated by the German Design Council for the German Design Award.[6]

Bristol's Cube Microplex staff called Turpsycore "a triple disc spectacular."[3] The Japan Times's Devon Fisher commented "[Momus] pays proper tribute to the artists — some famous, some less so — who, like him in his Shibuya-kei days, brought a more literate, worldly and bizarre perspective to the realm of popular culture, refusing to stagnate or get 'over-familiar and over-sold.'"[2] Zitty's Thorsten Glotzmann said it was "thoroughly enigmatic and bizarre - overloaded with literary, film-historical and pop-cultural references."[5]

Heathen Harvest staff reviewed it favorably stating "A good Momus album plus a two bonus discs of off-kilter covers of David Bowie and Howard Devoto songs. What's not to like about it?"[10] PopMatters's Dave Heaton remarked the album was "a truly eccentric three-disc set."[11] CDM's Peter Kirn called the Bowie disc "unsurprising" but the Devoto covers "were just what I (didn't know I) needed – a set of songs tackling sexual ambiguity and anxiety from a singer who was born to play the part."[4]

• Official website
• Momus: Turpsycore playlist on YouTube