The Sun or the Moon – Cosmic

Ever wondered what the lovechild of Pink Floyd and Kraftwerk might sound like? Me neither, but I am glad that It found its way to my “to review” folder.

“Cosmic” is the German band The Sun or the Moon’s promising debut, combining psychedelic melodies, electronic beats and a touch of class. You can get the idea of the nostalgic 70’s sound of the album just by looking at the simplistic yet lovely cover artwork, which was done by Bernarda Nibera Conic.

I sense something very specific, especially in the vocals, but at the same time, I can’t quite put my finger on it. My mind went through a bunch of possible space rock/krautrock even new wave influences and nothing quite matches, but at the same time, I can hear a bit of everything in it, which kept me invested in this album for quite some time. The retro electronic sound mixed with the unusual and traditional instruments gives it that unique yet familiar feeling, consistent during the whole album.

From the title track, we are greeted by the man with the familiar voice, convincing us to leave this world behind, ascending to another level of consciousness. The single also has a trippy video to it:

The Sun Or The Moon – Cosmic  (click here if the video doesn’t play)

Up next is ‘Twisted Kamasutra’ – what can be best described as 8 minutes of seductive lounge music garnished with lovely percussions.

Our next stop of this spiritual journey is ‘Eldorado’, serving us as a reminder to not get corrupted by greed. I’ve never associated Edgar Allan Poe with psychedelic music, so it was a pleasant surprise how well they actually go together.

Then we have ‘Julia’s Dream’. Covering a well beloved band such as Pink Floyd takes some guts and let’s be honest, rarely results in something non-mediocre. This cover however feels like an original song, which is truly admirable. The band puts its own twist to it and turns it into “Julia’s bad trip”, thanks to the progressively growing tension and the creepy laugh in the background.

Speaking of trips, the 5th track is called ‘Trippin’ On Mars’, which brings the most of that lively electronic retrofuturistic vibe I adore. And the video for it is very cool:

The Sun Or The Moon – Trippin’ on Mars (click here if the video doesn’t play)

We finish off with my favorite – ‘Space Travel Agent’. For me, it perfectly captures the feeling of being lost and not wanting to be found. Wandering around in the free realm and enjoying the peace of the solitude it provides, experiencing what space has to offer you. We all have dreamt of that at some point.

“Cosmic” is the album I can envision that one pretentious but chill local ex-hippie artist playing on the premiere of their newest surrealist exhibition. If you don’t understand what I mean, you will surely get it after checking it out.

Tracklist:

1. Cosmic
2. Twisted Kamasutra
3. Eldorado
4. Julia Dream
5. Trippin’ On Mars
6. Space Travel Agent