Private Press, Portugal 80min
Self-appointed Genera, Transgressive Rock
https://www.facebook.com/daymoon.music
https://daymoon.bandcamp.com/?fbclid=IwAR1Q45RkzVdF_uy08K2rcThVZRlBwUbG6SxIZNNBiQ492YJqAnm2oDIevTY
Rating 95/100
Whilst spending several absorbing sessions listening to the magical and quite beautiful music from the band ‘Daymoon’, and more specifically their album titled Erosion. I could not help but wonder, about the origins of such delightful compositional creativity. It is, without doubt, a veritable musical extravagance that brings together an assortment of many influences and colours. It is music that conjures up images of festivals, colourfal metropolitan settings and upon which is literally kissed with Eastern inspirations and images of joyful celebration. But above all the music provides a distinctly robust veneration toward the countryside and its nature. It is certainly no surprise to learn that its composer ‘Fred Lessing’ hails from such a vibrant setting. In this case the Portuguese resort town of ‘Sintra’, which is located in the forested foothills of the ‘Sintra Mountains’. It is in this idyllic location that Fred has produced and released his own brand of beautifully adapted atmospheric music. Music that is saturated in hypnotic ambience and naturistic expression, and in which he has embraced a deep sense of feeling towards the architecture and the people of the locality as well as other European folk routes and influences.
‘Erosion’ is indeed a massive undertaking and is truly an album that is full to the brim with contrasting time changes, harmonic distortions, vocal disturbances and sound generated visualisations. Even with storylines somewhat hard to decipher there is a warm familiarity that draws you into the bosom of its proceedings. Certainly, within the score there is a distinct semblance to that of a stage or musical presentation, even possibly at times, the viciousness of a circus environment comes to mind. Indeed, image overload, as the music sweeps before you. Glorious combinations of keyboards, wonderful guitar, piano, and woodwind and brass instrumentation are all augmented with decisive percussive arrangements of drums and bass. Especially interesting is the range of musical variations and themes that have been packed into this solitary album with forays along pathways of progressive rock, avant-garde, folk, classic rock, South American Rhythms and great slices of psychedelia.
There is more too, as central to the enjoyment of this truly magnificent album is the huge range of male and female vocal contributions and though, thought-provoking, spoken word deliveries, all in all, a huge mixing bowl of musical entertainment and delight
‘Daymoon’ is a band project conceived by Portuguese multi-instrumentalist Fred Lessing (Zpoluras Big Band). The idea for which he apparently put together in 1984, producing and releasing his own CDs with special attention focused towards the presentation of beautifully considered artwork.
Fred Lessing hit on the name ‘Daymoon’ when he was still a young boy, after seeing the moon in plain daylight, and remembering how ‘demon’ is spelt in Greek. Even though it could be considered as being a simple explanation, it is a name that has stuck.
Members:
Lavínia Roseiro: Lead vocals, tuned & untuned percussion, classical guitar, lyrics André Marques: Keyboard, drums & percussion, tuned percussion, vocals, stringed & ethnic instruments Thomas Olsson: Electric guitar & keyboard Fred Lessing: Electric & acoustic guitars, bass guitar, saz, keyboard, flute, tuned & untuned percussion, ethnic woodwinds, vocals, lyrics Paulo Chagas: Alt recorder, bass clarinet, flute, fujara, oboe, saxophone, sopranino clarinet, tenor recorder Luca Calabrese: Trumpet, spoken Italian words Guests: Andy Tillison: as ‘The Captain’ Rita Simões: Vocals & piano Tiago Soares: Vocals Nuno Nogueira: Vocals & choir
The album was mixed and mastered by Vince Welch (of Boston-based art rock band Bent Knee)
Summary: Probably my album of the year so far, an album that will forever remain within easy arm’s length from the turntable
