Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Moonlight Sky
Label: Nika Records
Release: 2009
Runtime: 51:16
Rating: 4.5/5
Moonlight Sky are a homegrown progressive rock band who deserve the special attention of every music connoisseur who doesn’t fall for the cheap tricks of greedy label giants and has a genuine love for an eclectic musical vocabulary freed from genre restrictions. For our part of the world, they’re pretty much one of a kind, and they first made a real splash with a very good self-titled debut. It was a major event for the decidedly obscure Slovenian progressive rock scene, because it proved that even on our soil a band can emerge that holds its own against established international names from the world of progressive and experimental music. On it, they showed off musically and emotionally colorful compositions that mixed in interesting elements of jazz, hard rock, blues, ambient and symphonic music. And with their instrumental showmanship they went far beyond the usual Slovenian standards. After such a successful start, the high expectations for the next album were of course completely justified.
On “I Am” you can immediately hear the band members’ growth as composers and instrumentalists, as they’ve widened their rich musical spectrum even further and created even more varied moods and more complex arrangements. In places they pulled that off with the help of guest musicians on wind instruments and violin, plus female backing vocals, elsewhere with a larger dose of extended jazz improvisation. Compared with most of our experimental rock bands, which usually build on a jazz foundation, Moonlight Sky on “I Am” are still closest to prog rock revivalism, where they make no secret of their sympathies for some of the progressive rock legends of the 60s and 70s. They also don’t neglect their love of jazz fusion, and here and there they toy with some hard rock experiments too.
The band members all bring equally strong instrumental chops. Besides the excellent interplay from the keyboards, what stands out in their sound is the superb use of electric and acoustic guitar, which, with its flow between finesse and impulsiveness, goes far beyond what’s usual in Slovenia. Before the release of “I Am,” Moonlight Sky went through an important lineup change. Žiga Kožar replaced Bor Zakonjšek on drums and, in my opinion, brought in an even greater dose of rhythmic dynamism.
Every composition on the album is its own special sonic and atmospheric chapter. All the song titles and lyrics are now in English, which is a welcome move toward greater international recognition and a potential breakthrough on foreign markets. “I Am” is a romantic opening appetizer on classical guitar. It’s followed by a dramatic contrast in the form of the punchy “That Look In Your Eyes,” which, with its hard rock phrases, above all the mighty guitar grinding and the way it’s sung, makes no secret of flirting with the legacy of the legendary Deep Purple. On the ambitious “King of the Golden Ring” you can also catch world music influences, with a pastoral flute intro followed by spirited oriental scales. Ambient layers of keyboards and a melodic vocal bring an air of ease to the impulsive beats. The band proves again and again that within a single composition they can glide between very different motifs and moods in an incredibly subtle way.
With “Secrets,” which features lovely acoustic-symphonic arrangements and an emotionally charged vocal, they also confirm themselves as very good creators of romantic ballads. After “King of the Golden Ring,” “One Day One Night” is another of the album’s epic highlights, practically buckling under the weight of its stylistic and atmospheric variety. Here they move with finesse between elements of jazz rock fusion, which has no shortage of improvised flourishes and juicy solos. There are also energetic wind-instrument bursts and a violin that further enrich an already superb composition. The cherry on top is an ambient ending with waves of synthesizer and a heart-piercing guitar solo. “I Am Blues” is the moment when bluesy guitar passages, punchy heavy rock riffs and a snarling vocal take center stage.
Moonlight Sky don’t ease off for the rest of the album either, thrilling with stylistically varied compositions that deliver a wealth of hypnotic moods. “Chautauqua” is another treat for all fans of instrumental jazz fusion. “Family Wound” is a charming ballad that makes excellent use of female backing vocal harmonies and the warm sound of Hammond organs. “Caviar” is the album’s third peak, where they once again create a stylistic collage of enviable sonic scope and atmosphere, and there’s no shortage of showcasing their solo skills either, with an excellent closing drum solo. The classical guitar outro makes for an ideal ending to this superb album.
“Moonlight Sky” have created a classic of Slovenian progressive rock with “I Am,” one that stands out above all for crafting grand, varied moods that put the listener into a trance in an instant. The album boasts a thrilling fluidity and stylistic variety that will have every music romantic who loves the golden age of progressive and experimental music licking their lips. I sincerely hope “I Am” brings the band greater recognition in international progressive rock circles. Compared with the debut, there’s a bit less space rock daydreaming here, but in exchange there’s so much more stylistic dynamism, unpredictability and varied moods. I can say they’ve taken a major step forward in their development and reached the next level of compositional and instrumental maturity, which by Slovenian standards is far above the norm. “I Am” confirms that we have a superb progressive rock band on home soil with international potential, one we can be extremely proud of.
Lineup
Miha Petric – electric and classical guitar
Andraž Kržič – vocals, acoustic piano, Korg M3 keyboards, Hammond C3 organ
Janez Moder – electric bass, fretless bass
Žiga Kožar – drums, percussion
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Miha Hawlina – saxophone
Igor Matkovič – trumpet
Vasilij Centrih – violin
Asja Grauf – transverse flute
Lili Landeka – backing vocals
Maja Vargazon – backing vocals
Klara Kos – backing vocals
Saša Vipotnik – backing vocals
Andreja Palatinus – backing vocals
Katja Sever – backing vocals
Production
Moonlight Sky
Tracklist
1. I Am (Intro)
2. That Look in Your Eyes
3. King Of The Golden Ring
4. Secrets
5. One Day One Night
6. I Am Blues
7. Chautauqua
8. Family Wound
9. Caviar
10. I Am (Outro)
