Moon Duo
Stars are the Light
Sacred Bones (2019)
This year, Moon Duo released their seventh album, Stars are the Light, on Sarced Bones. Many of their signature spacey psychedelic elements are here: droning saturated guitars, looping synths, dual hypnotic vocals. But Moon Duo have another motive this time around -- getting our bodies moving.As they depart from machine-driven krautrock rhythms, they often slow down the tempo and bring in more imaginative and funky percussion. Some of this is reminiscent of disco (see: “Flying”, “Fall (In Your Love)”), and some achieve a Latin vibe with wooden blocks and polyrhythms (see: “The World and the Sun”).Ripley Johnson’s saturated, fuzzy guitar is turned down a bit on this album, making way for prominent groovy bass lines and an array of synths. Keyboardist Sanae Yamada shines on this album. She displays her range of talents -- from her well-placed creepy laser sounds to the organ psychedelic bliss on the track “Eternal Shore”. Her most mesmerizing work was done on the album’s title track, “Stars are the Light”, which is unlike anything in Moon Duo’s catalog. It’s an airy and melancholic reverb-drenched pop song guided by high pitched tremolo’d notes over a smooth, haunting bass line. Here the vocals are smooth and catchy, … Read more
State Drugs
Takings and Leavings
Jigsaw Records (2019)
This LP sounds like something that teleported here from my moody early-2000’s CD rack, which they acknowledge with their self-description … Read more
Various Artists
Rakta & Deafkids – Forma/Sigilo
Nada Nada Discos (2019)
Brazilian act Rakta were at the forefront of the post-punk revival several years back, and continue to be one of … Read more
Blood Incantation
Hidden History of the Human Race
Dark Descent Records (2019)
By now it’s clear that Blood Incantation are the death metal band of the future, a band willing to push … Read more
