Moon Diagrams

Cemetery Classics – Sonic Cathedral

Led by Moses Archuleta, the driving force behind Moon Diagrams and drummer for Deerhunter, this second release, “Cemetery Classics” is a collection of darker, more adventurous explorations of sound than on his debut album. It is comprised of curiosities and switches in tone from industrial, to lo-fi, to some chill-wave ambient. While there isn’t a cohesive thread to the album, the songs do stand out on their own and give an impactful presence on this ambiently diverse record.

Track 1, “NRG,” has an acoustic guitar/samba strum with echoed vocals hidden underneath. I played this for a special someone and they liked it. For me, I this is the standout track on the album. It is chill and reminds me of Panda Bear circa Person Pitch. “Very Much Promise To You,” track 9, features Anastasia Coope on a trip hop/electronica tune that is beautiful, if not also haunting. Track 4, “Big Ref,” shows influences of 80s darkwave – it is danceable and groovy! “Listen To Me,” track 10 is a sonic burster with a driving bass drum beat. Almost 6 minutes in length, it has echoes of Front 242, delving into the industrial noise bent. Lots to like from a noise/shoegaze perspective – but the chill moments on this album are the gems.

Faves: 1**, 9**, 5**, 10**, 12*, and 7*. Check them all out.

– (h)earwitness