Moon Panda – ‘Sing Spaceship, Sing’ album review: exploring the euphoria of newfound joy and human connection
Amidst the turbulence of lockdown, Moon Panda‘s debut album What On Earth provided a sultry dreamscape delicately woven with both baroque and dream-pop elements. It was a wave to drift away from woe upon.
This time around, the Danish/Californian duo unveil their latest creation, the velvety opus Sing Spaceship, Sing, enriched by their live drummer, Josh Cabitac, and keyboard player George Godwin. The result is a music journey that glides effortlessly, like silk, providing a much-needed respite from the complexities of post-Covid life.
Emerging from the depths of lockdown and gradually threading back into the realm of ‘normal life’ proved to be an arduous journey, with many still feeling the aftermath. But the age-old remedy of music always assumes the role of a transformative escape, guiding us on the barge through the tumultuous river of everyday chaos.
Few actually possess the understanding of this very experience like Moon Panda. With Sing Spaceship, Sing, they seamlessly intertwine viscera with stark realities, crafting musical marvels that navigate the delicate balance between the tangible and the transcendental.
This is evident from the start with ‘Come Outside’. On a surface level, its soothing tones immediately draw you in, but a closer examination of the lyrics reveals that we’re being taken on a journey through the perils of cabin fever versus the freedom of venturing outside. This is also explored to a certain degree in ‘Starfruit’. The latter is about the idea of reimagining your life and taking control: “I’m basically asking to be held and cared for, and then when the chorus hits, it’s just this complete freedom and boldness,” singer and bassist Maddy Myers explained. “It’s kind of about deciding to rebuild yourself and the world around you in the way you want to see it.”
Perhaps the song that stands out as the one that best epitomises Moon Panda’s current era is ‘Tangerine Light’. You can visualise the song’s ethereal embers as you arrive at its own psychedelic-infused paradise before reaching the sensual rhythms of ‘Machina Sky’. With each track thereafter, you’re guided through a blend of vocally stunning, groove-enhanced pop that succeeds in its mission to momentarily transcend you to a new, relaxing realm.
By the time you reach ‘Dance’, the gentle croons of Myers welcome you in for the last time in a wonderfully laid-back closing statement. The beauty of Sing Spaceship, Sing is that it becomes richer with every listen. It’s an ode to escapist art, providing stories that share the same relaxed energy but with enough variation and nuances to draw you back in time and time again.
The album marks a new, exciting era for Moon Panda – infused with the euphoria of newfound joy and human connections as the world emerged from the clutches of the pandemic, Sing Spaceship, Sing’s tapestry of experimental soundbites resonates deeply enough to garner repeated listens. “It’s still very much about your sense of self,” Myers said in an interview with Far Out, “But it’s a lot more about the people around us and yourself in relation to others”.
The duality of Sing Spaceship, Sing is truly a testament to the band’s commitment to delivering art of such high standards to those it will mean a lot to, it might be bliss, but it isn’t ignorant: you can listen to the album in the background of other activities, or you can give it your undivided attention. Either way, by the end, you’ll feel like you understand yourself a little bit more.
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