- Russia’s Moonbeam have come a long way very quickly and with good reason. Formed in Nizhny Novgorod in 2003 and with their first release only in 2005, brothers Pavel and Vitaliy have been getting a lot of good press for their intelligent and accessible dancefloor tracks that weave seamlessly from the fabric of different styles while calling upon a host of talented and diverse vocalists. This single lives up to all the expectation.
Like fellow Russian contenders SCSI-9 on Kompakt, Moonbeam have a penchant for complicated and often moody melodies, but while the plaintive keyboard line on A-side ‘Eclipse’ might think the same dark thoughts as SCSI-9, the track is immediately more muscular underneath it all, held together by a determined percussive gush. In the end, the rhythm is strong enough to physically shape the melodies to its will, before the bass-end eventually awakens to rend more from the synths until the fluttering end.
‘Sunshine’ on the flip is even better. It has a slower swagger and a long, confident stride as if walking home in the early hours with a smile on its face. The warm, spacey synth patterns shimmer off the sidewalk and bend the light like thin breathless water. Unfortunately there’s no vocals on this release, but that in no way is a dampener to an otherwise suave blend of ambiences and effortless momentum. And the good news is there’s more to come later in the year.
TracklistA Eclipse
B Sunshine