Electronic pop meets cosmic acid trip in "Moon Door", Lastigband's strangely compelling new offering of signature lo-fi space-tronica.
Creating a curious superposition of certainty and disorientation, Lastigband’s (Gethin Davies) “Moon Door” is simple yet effective: A basic beat that can’t quite decide what it is; half-spoken vocals that repeat with a certain hushed importance while being diffused away by reverb; catchy pop melodies that interweave while warbling vibrato tries to pull things apart and (combined with some disorienting turn of chords) create something almost microtonal; wood block and pingpong-ing vibraslap like the out-of-place creaks of paranoia. The track feels experimental yet structured and intentional, with moments of cheery plain sailing amongst a sea of cosmic confusion. As soon as you think you’re getting things in focus, they disperse.
Continuing the metaphor that I coined in my recent review of Lastigband’s “Galaxy”, it’s like finding a space mirage at the end of what may have once been an intentional interstellar journey. “Moon Door” reprises much of the same sonic palette while dialling up the disorientation only hinted at previously, like a sort of trippy sequel. However, for all its sci-fi eeriness, there is still a lot of separation in the mix – nothing fights for attention and the song just has to be experienced. While the percussion instruments do have a somewhat cold and stock sound for my taste, and maybe a little more warmth could have rounded things off for some extra lo-fi appeal, Lastigband’s sound is definitely a sound that works.
While I don't think it would be controversial to say there is something of a niche nature to "Moon Door", it sits coherently alongside Lastigband’s recent work (coherent or otherwise) while showing how “out-there” they can be. The first single from the up-coming Lastigband debut album "Micro Vectar", I am intrigued to hear this work in a wider context.
“Moon Door” is out now on Recordiau Pentop
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