Released:
Rating:
An effortless success.
Label: Columbia
Released: 23rd February 2018
Rating: ★★★★
Lo Moon believe in doing things properly. Since making their first big splash back in September 2016 with debut song ‘Loveless’, they’ve carefully built the kind of foundations most rush into place at the first sniff of success. But then, that first taste should have told us as much. Seven minutes of glorious, all-enveloping synth-driven comfort food, it’s still a standout moment on their self-titled debut full-length, but it’s far from the only one.
By taking the steady path, Lo Moon’s big moment arrives with the sort of assurance usually reserved for far more established peers. But then, they’ve already passed milestones few acts manage so early – an NPR Tiny Desk session, a US TV appearance – and shared stages with the likes of Phoenix, Glass Animals and The War On Drugs, whose Adam Granduciel and Charlie Hall both guest on the record. They know first-hand what needs to be done.
An album driven by human emotion, it sits between experimental rock and lush electronica. Never boring, but never overtly difficult either, it’s the kind of record that connects on all levels. From the smooth creep of ‘The Right Thing’ to the wistful blast of ’Real Love’’s powerful chorus, there’s a depth to every sonic shift. Each comes with a confidence that easily clicks individual pieces into place. The sparse, chiming first half of ‘Camouflage’ blends perfectly into its repeating, trance-like second act, itself sitting effortlessly against the upbeat tempo of ‘Wonderful Life’ – a moment where the production of ex-Death Cab For Cutie man Chris Walla really comes to the fore.
Slot firmly into their own groove, ‘Lo Moon’ is a record of many faces; what could easily have become an artistic overreach instead becomes an effortless success. That’s what you get for doing things properly. Stephen Ackroyd
