Sonnymoon - Sonnymoon

  by Andy Cassidy

published: 12 / 10 / 2012

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Sonnymoon is the debut LP from Boston duo Dane Orr and Anna Wise. A mesmerising kaleidoscope of sounds, the album is a dazzlingly original fusion of genres; hip-hop, electronica, a hint of punk and a smattering of R&B blend together to produce a collection of tracks that is as confusing as it is uplifting. Throughout the LP, there are suggestions of Animal Collective, Bjork and Teebs, but despite the many clear inspirations, Sonnymoon have succeeded in creating a sound that is all their own. Opening track 'Wild Rumpus' sounds exactly as the name suggests, an electronic, bass-y free-for-all with a wandering Rick Wright keyboard line. Anna Wise’s vocal is jazzy and breezy, its eccentricities echoing Kate Bush or the aforementioned Bjork. The spacy vistas explored in '?' are reminiscent of early Floyd, its easy lopping beat and sitar blending well with another superb vocal from Wise. 'Flit, Fleet, Float' is more mainstream electronica, with a catchy beat and some great retro synth sounds. Wise’s vocal on this track takes on a more casual air, which, if anything, makes it more mainstream sounding. The most enjoyable track on the album for me was 'Nothing Thought'. It’s a wonderful slice of gently paced chill-out. Again, the instrumentation is imaginative and Wise’s vocal is sublime. This is a truly fascinating album. Its strengths lie in Wise and Orr’s depth of sound, their sheer inventiveness and their seemingly wilful oddness. As a quirky testament to sonic experimentation, the album holds up well against similar offerings by Sonnymoon’s contemporaries. The album’s uniqueness lies in the quality and depth of the instrumentation which is never short of astonishing. A difficult record in places, this may not be to everyone’s taste, but for those willing to expend the energy to actively listen to it, the rewards are plentiful.

Track Listing:-

1 Wild Rumpus
2 Greatness
3 Question Mark
4 Kali
5 Watersboiled
6 Flit, Fleet, Float
7 Nothing Thought
8 Universal Appeal
9 Others By
10 Zone 2
11 Every Summer Night
12 Just Before Dawn

Band Links:-

https://twitter.com/sonnymoon
http://sonnymoon.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Sonnymoonmusic/
http://www.sonnymoon.io/
https://www.youtube.com/user/sonnymoonmusic
https://plus.google.com/107392751650104548960

Label Links:-

http://www.plugresearch.com/
https://www.facebook.com/plugresearch
https://www.youtube.com/user/PlugResearch
https://vimeo.com/plugresearch
https://twitter.com/plugresearch
https://plus.google.com/109842348455219159091

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