By Derek Lynch
Moon and Pollution is the name given to synth-laden, beautifully haunting duo of singer Molly Dean and producer Graham O’Brien. The combo had barely formed last year when Atmosphere’s Slug asked them to perform at the Bayfront Festival. Their debut LP, The Box Borealis, was released on January 27th and has already been generating some much-deserved praise for its ethereal vocal layers and hypnotic, pulsing rhythm.
The album’s opener and namesake is a perfect example of what makes this group special, with Graham creating a lush soundscape over which Molly floats rich textures-made all the more incredible with additional vocals provided by Lydia Liza of Bomba de Luz. Another standout track is “The Magnetic North,” which kicks off with a chilling drum beat that’s equal parts film noir and trip hop. “I Didn’t Look” has Molly lamenting that she “became the ghost of what once was,” all sung over an accompaniment comprised almost entirely of reversed samples. It’s as if longing for the past isn’t a lyrical theme as much as it’s the very fabric of the music. “The Lonely Quiet” is anything but, as the Moon and Pollution go out on one of the most driving grooves found anywhere in the album, helped along by Joe Strachan and Tom Nordlund on Fender Rhodes and guitar, respectively.
Seemingly formed overnight from the shadows you never paid attention to, Moon and Pollution is a duo you’ll want to watch out for. The Box Borealis just may be the definitive soundtrack to lonely night-time drives in the sub-zero temperatures we all love. Hit play, get lost, contemplate.
https://moonandpollution.bandcamp.com/
http://www.ftoitox.com/moonandpollution/
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