We're starting to make an inroad into our 2018 backlog, so it's time to start slipping in some brand new 'hot off the shelf' releases. And through some type of huge coincidence, given we're belatedly still working through dozens of submissions from the last few months, it turns out that there is a connection between the debut EP from Swedish duo 'Jiji Moon' and our featured band from yesterday, the ambient 'Ramberget Trio' - through musician Gustav Davidsson, who is half of the former, and a third of the latter. Interestingly the other half of 'Jiji' Moon' is Axel Larsson from the brilliant if slightly unpredictable 'Svankropp', amongst other bands.
I must admit when I first heard 'Jiji Moon' I did think this was going to be the type of release that would take ages to grow on me - opening with the melancholy and slightly mournful 'The Sun Never Shines', with haunting piano, oodles of reverb and all definitely creating more than a flicker on the 'Mirel Wagner Scale of Bleakness' - the patented device we use in the NMR office to measure the level of misery and despair in songwriting. However then something rather extraordinary happened, because the second track 'Running Out' just totally blew me away. It opens with a series of piano chords that remind me of something that wonderful 'North Sea Radio Orchestra' would come up with, before atmospheric vocals are introduced and then it explodes with intense bursts of noise and melodic phrases, that are wonderful and all slightly disturbing. The final track 'Passed My Eyes' really builds around a single piano note, with vocals and the accompanying instrumentation slowly building in volume and density, before a long ambient section with some beautiful subtle piano phrases peeking through the mist.
Now if I'm going to be really honest and suggest that with this style of music I'm not expecting 'Jiji Moon' to burst on to a major festival stage near you, although there is something very special in particular about 'Running Out' that is worthy of much wider listening, and I really hope other websites pick up on it. Take a listen here:
To listen to 'Jiji Moon' you can find them on Spotify: