It’s time to take a quick journey across the Atlantic Ocean for an auditory treat from the Netherlands. It is a truly wonderful thing that in this age, we can be exposed to artists who are just getting their start in another part of the world, and it’s one of the reasons I try to pay particular attention when we receive music submissions from abroad. This time around, we have a new release from Moon Moon Moon, a group that I have been very interested ever since they did their online blog tour a little while back. They have just released what I think is their third full album, titled Help! Help!, and it shows a band that seems to be really coming into their sound. Help! Help! sounds more polished and developed than anything they have released before.

On Help! Help!, we get a similar style of indie folk-rock songwriting with whispering vocals, but packaged and produced in a way that brings Moon Moon Moon’s songs to life in a way that is not found on their previous records. Whether its better resources, a better production team, or more skill in the studio, the members of Moon Moon Moon seem to be getting much better at interweaving distinct parts and making each distinct voice stand out. The result is a far more dynamic album that draws the listener in with precision. The higher level of production allows the dramatic builds and the delicate, calm moments to be felt in the exact way that they were intended.

Another aspect of Help! Help! that I am quite fond of is the full-blown embracing of tension and dissonance that Moon Moon Moon has adopted. This band is not afraid to release an emotional wave of distortion and cacophony that can knock you right off your feet. But fear not, for every harsh moment there is a peaceful, gentle resolution, allowing you to take a deep breath before the next plunge. It’s hard to find a better example of this duality than on a track like “Believing in Nessie”. A couple of longer tracks on the album allow Moon Moon Moon to take the listener on a cohesive, patient ride through a series of connected sections, a characteristic of a record that I always enjoy.

Whether Moon Moon Moon is releasing tension through distorted rock stylings or taking on the acoustic storytelling of folk, they now have a level of production that matches their creative minds. I suspect that many more good things are to come from Moon Moon Moon. Check out Help! Help! for free on their bandcamp, as well as any other release that this band has put out.