I included Finnish alternative rock band Moonwards on our Nordic Indie Playlist last year when they released their self-titled debut EP, so it's good to offer a little more detail as thay work towards their follow up.
They describe themselves as a band 'brimming with yearning and wanderlust', similarly to their name, and they very much take their influences from the type of bands I was listening to in the 80's and 90's, which makes me instinctively very comfortable with their sound. I featured 'Dear Skyler' on our playlist, but the highlight on that debut EP listening again today is the quite stunning 'Black Coffee', an intense 6 minutes of intertwining guitars and flowing vocal melodies, I really regret not paying it more attention.
Anyway they've now released a new track, entitled 'Blue Light', with apologies for being a month behind given it was released on the 31st January. These guys just make a great noise, and 'Blue Light' demonstrates that well. Again the complexities of the guitars makes the song interesting, whilst the vocals set out a bold melodic theme. The band have shoegaze influences in their instrumental sound certainly, but the songs have simply bigger tunes.
The band meanwhile describe 'Blue Light' as "a track which yearns back to the company of long lost friends through loving but perhaps at times even bitter nostalgia".
I look forward to the EP, and those of you in Helsinki can catch them live at Tiivistämö on 30th May.
Release Date. 31st January 2025