A pleasant downtempo foray where larger than life (lunar) effects dance about in curious, hypnotic loops.
David Sutton (aka epitomeZero) shared Moonsong with me in early August, and rather than have a quick listen, I let it simmer, sporadically playing its 11 expansive snapshots off and on during my morning and evening commutes. What I learned from this experience is that Moonsong is meant for exploration, on repeat, random, or back to back, continuously. There are moments of pure serenity where ambient electronics, dub, and a thick fog coalesce and eventually unearth subdued rhythms that are carefully sandblasted. “Luminous” is one such piece—transporting the listener through an amalgam of low-end rumbles, staccato beats, and tribal mood shifts. Elsewhere, pitter-patter drums weave into and out of focus on tracks like “Ocean Of Storms,” organic instruments interwoven with the sounds of early synthesizer drones and tones fading in the light. And this is where the UK-based artist finds himself, in a desolate place where melodies are slowly left to dissolve and to recycle themselves—”All Is Dust” is one such example. On the other side of the spectrum, there is a depth of sound explored on “Eclipse” where shoegaze elements melt into a cohesive form. “Hymn To Selene” delves into uncharted, blissful terrain—an otherworldly ambient bassline evolves into a wide open space. Ultimately this is where Moonsong shines, its delicate nature and homogenous tracks are balanced and unrelenting. Cross sections from The Future Sound of London’s psychedelic trove of evolving patterns drift and fall in a seamless strand of unconsciousness. As a result, this is a pleasant downtempo foray where larger than life (lunar) effects dance about in curious, hypnotic loops.
Moonsong is available on Sea Of Clouds.
