Discovering an exceptionally talented artist just before the release of his or her first EP is a bit like unexpectedly coming face to face with a rare animal. You hold your breath, a tingling feeling of euphoria takes over and the moment remains special for the rest of your life.
It happened to me a few weeks ago when all of a sudden a sparrow hawk was eating a pigeon in my garden, only three metres from my window, posing imperturbably while I was taking photos and filming. Or when, on a trip to London, I saw an urban fox for the first time in the car park of a block of houses. Or two years ago when I stumbled across Mooneye on the Belgian artists’ platform vi.be. Obviously, today I would like to talk to you mainly about musical discoveries.
If you are fond of artists or bands like Talk Talk, Roy Orbison, Mercury Rev or Catherine Wheel who know how to cram both the musical structure and the vocals of a song with emotion and authentic drama, Mooneye is a top recommendation for you. Michiel Libberecht and his band flawlessly manage to invisibly bridge the canyons between styles and decades, making it seem as if the nineties, nillies or twenties never existed and making music sound as if the big now (not always with covid, fortunately) always was and has been.
The song “Fix the heater” is about tension, fear, nervousness and uncertainty in a relationship. Occasionally, the lyrics put you on the wrong track and leave you in the dark about the real status, although we’re guessing that things are still fine between the people we’re talking about here.
The music has the structure of an eternal classic. “Fix the Heater” opens with touching simplicity and, after just under five minutes, slams the door with a haunting explosion of bombast that leaves you breathless.
Keep breathing though, we’d say, if only because otherwise you’ll miss the release of Mooneye’s first full-length album in the autumn of 2021. We have a sneaking suspicion that would be a terrible shame.
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