It took two years for Ebb (who mysteriously omits his real name) to produce this debut album. Two years of painstaking effort in snowy northern Sweden, and the effort comes through in each song. Layers of rich guitar lines tumble over lush textural electronic production, making a strong case for Ebb’ place amongst luminaries such as Mum and Sigur Ros. His songs and glitch-laden production have a relationship that’s strikingly similar to the Icelandic group, though his voice is different.
Loona works through 10 tracks of naggingly fey, 2000-and-something shoegazer pop. Ebb’s occasional falsetto has a reflective, and somewhat sentimental lean. In that respect, “I’m All Made of Music’ calls to mind Norwegian post-house heads Royskopp. Pianos phase in and out, gentle breaks bump, basslines throb and vocals are manipulated. Everything has a processed haze, like the smoke pall over a big city around dusk.
But this isn’t experimental music. Loona boasts accessible and, dare I say it, radio-friendly songs. I could see Loona as a futuristic Jamiroquai – if Jay Kay was to do something current instead of the customary rampant plagiarism. Ebb’ simple songs repeat like mantras until they’re captivating in their own right. The contrast between his soft vocals and harsh musical aesthetic is at Loona‘ heart. But this hazy pop needs more ideas and, although it sounds nice, has little more to offer.
Matthew Levinson
