moondrifts

ghastly city sleep

[listen/purchase]

i sank between the teeth
there's no turning back
a silence too black to break

i can preface this by confessing that i'm not typically an album-listener. my listening habits are disorganized--i tend to jump between tracks and assemble my own mixes to shuffle depending on my mood. moondrifts is so cohesive, so distinct that it only feels right to let it carry me from start to finish.

the art that accompanies the record sets a dreamlike tone, one that harmonizes with the imagery conjured by the music itself. the swell of billowing leaves me feeling wind-whipped, alone on a shore, breathing in the mist over a black sea. the crashing crescendo of seven (33 leagues) hits like a plunge into icy, unforgiving depths, while no no no no calls me back to nights of mania, delusions so deep they could seep into my bones. evans' vocals tug my emotions in seemingly every direction, drifting between devilish hisses, soothing lullabies, and heart-constricting wails.

this is my #1 malkavian inspiration album, and was vital in my development of kurtis. dreamlike and ruminative, shadowy and soul-tinged, it captures a sense of feeling "too much". playful at times, sorrowful at others, achingly heartfelt all the way through.

it seems everyone has a story of an album finding them at a critical time in their life--and in this case, i stumbled upon this one at my lowest and most desperate point. this album became an anchor for me, and years later, it still makes me sing along until i'm breathless and my ribs ache with emotion. moondrifts is an overlooked masterpiece.