To me, Swallow The Sun plays out to be a band of emotional depth brimming with sonic harmony. This has always been the impression since the first time I heard the band. ‘Moonflowers’, the band’s newest offering once again carries forth the musical legacy set by the band. ‘Moonflowers’ is a type of a double album so to speak with. You could say that the album has an A & B side respectively. The album consists of 8 songs with an orchestral or classical version alternatively for more musical options and delight. The classical versions of the song feature Trio N O X on an array of classical instruments delighting us with a stellar performance on violins, cellos, basses, and pianos to name a few.
In one sense, this is a 16 track saga. Hugely massive, thoroughly inspiring, and authentic. Songs such as “Moonflowers Bloom in Misery”, “Woven into Sorrow”, “The Void” take us deep into the sounds and lush textures that we all love Swallow The Sun all of it coupled with an air of freshness. The pulsating bass, the thundering drums, flowing guitars, and wonderful vocal performances immediately put the listener into a meditative and unflinching state of mind. The classical versions of the same of course sound like the original A-side, but everything sounds very different and superbly impressive. I love how the band presents this idea that songs can be re-imagined into something very different that stays true to the original songwriting process. “The Fight of Your Life” is a tense song. The arrangement is elaborate, spacious, and gripping. This is also the longest track off record. The classical version is beautiful, but not as long. The record ends with “This House Has No Home” – a haunting and spectacular end to this massive record. Peel back the raw aggression off the track and find a soft and gentle side yearning for something deeper out of life’s experiences.
‘Moonflowers’ by Swallow The Sun is a brilliant and well-put-together album. Nobody can ever go wrong with this. Every record by Swallow The Sun sets a higher standard of artistic achievement and production. This record is no less. The expansive soundscapes, musicianship, and vision materialized by the wonderful production make ‘Moonflowers’ by Swallow The Sun a very poetic experience. The potential for an alternative take on the band’s music has always existed. This time, we hear it as classical renditions and arrangements featuring Trio N O X.
Really speaking, ‘Moonflowers’ is a 16 track trip. Every song is an experience of varying nuances foregrounding the sounds of Swallow The Sun so many of us have come to love over the years. Even the classical renditions still very much like the sounds of the band we are familiar with, even for a first-time listener who probably would not have heard any of the songs off the new album. You know it is Swallow The Sun. Above many other things, the sound design on this record tops the previous albums. One may not necessarily hear all sound design elements as individual elements but they are always felt. The sound design on this record is top-notch. Especially on the singing and background elements, the sound design makes this already colorful sonic canvas endlessly more vibrant, compelling and admirable.
‘Moonflowers’ by Swallow The Sun is marked with solid vision and musical maturity. Might I argue, that not all good or great records necessarily demonstrate ample vision and musical maturity. A part of me still felt wanting more despite how massive the album is. Irrespective of the impeccable musical delight Swallow The Sun’s ‘Moonflowers’ offers, I am left wanting more. It is hard to describe this in words. Did this experience sonically fulfilling album actually make me realize that there is a void in me as a listener? We are once again left with a well-rounded album by Swallow The Sun, probably with a void too.