In the mid-80s under the shadow of the Regan-era Cold War tension, bands like the Cocteau Twins crafted sonic fairylands that shone out from their depressive souls.
It makes sense that today’s youth would want to experience a similar escape.
Belgium-based Newmoon runs with this inspiration on their new album, Temporary Light (Quiet Panic) and basks in the atmosphere of Shoegaze’s more ethereal side. Clouds of delay partially obscure the vocal as the guitars exhale smoky rings of reverb.
There is something to the theory that anyone can create a sound, with the right producer or plug-ins for a digital audio workstation. Yet, there is more of an art to writing a song as it requires an artist to connect with internal feelings and weave them into tangible sounds.
This band does a delicate balancing act but is in touch with their inner muse enough to tip this album in favor of creating songs. They paint a world for your ears that is so enthralling you forget to question where you are being taken and if there is any substance to this place.
Just when you are about to question if they are writing songs or just playing with effects, their vocals come to the forefront.
The album’s narrative is sung in a timidly androgynous manner, not unlike Nothing‘s kinder, gentler side. This style of singing serves best when leaning more into the dream pop side of the genre. Even at their most intangible, the vocals are not as otherworldly as Liz Fraser‘s by any stretch of the imagination, but more moderate melancholic introspection in their plaintive coo. The crystalline sparkle of the guitar does shift to a more fuzzed-out overdrive at times, but this shift in tonal color is not heavy as it stays further back in the mix. By the time the album floats into “Liminal People,” it is clear the guitar sounds are the guiding tools from which these songs are derived.
Lyrically the vocal delivery keeps things intentionally vague. The subtle strength of this band lies in the drummer, who provides more of a backbone to these songs than your ears might be keen on in your first casual listen to this album. His solid playing finds him tastefully engaging in fills to intensify dynamics. The other strength of this band is the guitarist’s innate wisdom when playing a song like “Through the Glass,” to create a sense of space that allows the other elements of the song more room to do their thing. They use this as the ground floor from which they build the song’s dynamics, allowing them to create an effective climax without trying too hard.
The deeper you venture into the album, the further the band delves into dream pop. Their take on this sub-genre places more emphasis on being dreamy than on writing pop hooks. “Sense Of Longing” finds the fog of their sound.
The album ends with the dream overtaking the songs altogether so you can only make out the motion of the drummer as the band edges towards more of a Post-Rock mood by the instruments converging, Explosions In The Sky like.
There are plenty of underground acts who are doing this in their bedrooms, but there is something special about professionals perfectly executing and assembling these sounds that is more listenable. They are not breaking new ground here, as they are paying homage to an era of music. Younger audiences being just introduced to this genre will find this a suitable entry point. Fans of Shoegaze who are tired of rehashing the same old 4AD albums will find solace in the excellent job Newmonn does of creating an authentic experience.
Buy the album here:
https://newmoonband.bandcamp.com/album/temporary-light
8 / 10
WIL CIFER