The big problem with assigning generic tags to music is that it assumes that the sound is going to stay in the same place, be consistent throughout its journey, stay within its designated sonic lane. But the best music doesn’t do that, nor should it. Expectations are there to be thwarted, comfort zones swerved, and adventures are to be had. I mention this because “Doused in Blue,” the new one from Moontwin, is a great example of how you shouldn’t commit to naming things or applying labels too early.
“Doused in Blue” is music that runs through a number of sonic seasons—from the spacious spring, with its twinkling guitars and understated vocal beauty, to a fuller summer sound where it is joined by beats and basslines, and finally, to the racing sonic hues of autumn, which crackle and cascade with dynamic.
I remember the first time I heard Warpaint and witnessed a live performance of “Undertow,” and this song makes me feel the same way, that same gorgeous vocal slowly elevated by supple and subtle sonics, that same array of dream pop poise and melodic prowess, indie treatments and ethereal vibes.
Not all videos add to a song’s power and presence; some are just marketing devices, but here, the feeling that we are watching some sort of ’60s children’s story, an intriguing stop-motion animation based on Scandinavian mythology, or such, is a perfect fit with the music.
Moontwin never fails to impress. Their music is wonderfully unique, their vision brilliantly imaginative, and their presence makes the music world, and indeed the world in general, a much more interesting place.
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