ARTIST: THE MOONS OF JUPITER
ALBUM: GHOSTS - EP (LIMITED EDITION)
LABEL: SELF RELEASED
YEAR RELEASED: 2023
FORMAT: CD-R
Ghosts
Until The End Of Time
Truth
Ghosts (Ganymede Remix)
Until The End Of Time (Europa Remix)
Truth (Kore Remix)
This CD was sent to me by James Harris and I was not quite sure what to expect. I knew it was going to be on the fringes of my normal comfort zone of musical tastes but I am willing to try almost anything once or twice with an open mind.
So what exactly do I have here? The CD came packaged in a clear CD Sleeve with a one-sided printed cover, a CD-R with handwritten title, and a sticker. The cover features a view from one of Jupiter's Moons that looks down on the planet. The colorful blues are beautiful in this image and it is a very nice looking cover, I would love to have this on vinyl with the image at 12" x 12" making it even nicer to look at. The only complaint I have about the packaging ang it is not really a complaint as much as it is a wish and that is that I wish that the CD had a label sticker on it of the cover image as well. This is a Limited Edition printing of the CD, mine is hand numbered 33 of 500 copies.
The EP features six tracks, two versions of each song clocking in at 23:30. The music has a dark electronic yet atmospheric goth sound. Although electronic it does not focus on intense dance beats instead it creates this somber dark mood that lets Harris' vocals lead the way through the songs. The songs definitely have a feel of the 1980's/1990's goth stylings used by many of the bands influences (Depeche Mode/Sisters of Mercy). Listening to the music on Ghosts, which is all created by Nicky Rowe's synthesizer (no additional musicians mentioned), puts me into a very specific place with characters in dark Victorian clothing, mingling inside of a dark and shady bar, as several vampires do their dark business in the background. The music instantly created a story in my mind that probaly is not exactly what the band intended but I see it as a great plus.
All of the songs have a similar feel and pace which works well for a short E.P., everything fits together as a complete work. The music and vocals move along at a slow to mid-range pace and create an atmosphere while never going off course or taking unnecesarry twists and turns. You get on the ride and go on a journey for twenty three and a half minutes, the remixes do not sound like the same thing on repeat as they are slightly different and oddly enough the remix of Until The End Of Time is instrumental only which provides the sense of a completely different song. The remix songs are not drastically different but enough so that they keep you interested and each song is a little bit longer than the original versions. I wonder how this will all sound when they release the full album and will I take a different journey through this.
After listening to the EP about eight times Truth is my favorite track and I can see this one getting airplay in clubs as well as the title track Ghosts. I think listeners will want to take the time to listen to the whole EP in it's entirety to get the full effect.
Recommended for fans of dark wave, synthpop, goth, dark ambient , and electronic music.
PRESS RELEASE: An electronic duo with Nicky Rowe creating the musical soundscapes and James Harris on vocals. Soulful and uplifting, classic sounding British electropop. The Moons Of Jupiter's music has been likened to a hybrid of Depeche Mode, The Human League, Savage Garden and The Sisters Of Mercy with a contemporary feel and their own unique twist and style.
Their first EP "Ghosts" is available now on Bandcamp and on Ltd Ed CD. And they are currently in the studio working on their self-titled debut album which is due out in 2024.
https://www.facebook.com/TheMoonsOfJupiterMusic https://themoonsofjupiter.bandcamp.com https://www.youtube.com/@TheMoonsOfJupiter https://twitter.com/moonsofjupiter1
-Kevin P. Johnson
Copyright © 2023 Kevin P. Johnson
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