MORE OXYGEN, I SAID!

Debut effort from Russian indie/post-rockers MOONCAKE was a pleasant surprise in the world of instrumental music more than a year ago. Subtle and simple, melodic and catchy, 3 short tracks in EXPLOSIONS' vein had free-to-download status for some time, and the best from them, 'Rain in the Astray', has been re-recorded recently for band's debut full-length album, 'Lagrange Points'. You better start there, and if you like LP, you'll have to check this one too. Not essential, but Post-Rock collectors should have this one in their collections, at least in mp3. Recommended

Post-rock realm is fortunately endless, there is a vast amount of bands from all over the world that we can find end enjoy, and one of them is Mooncake, a pretty nice band from Russia whose instrumental music is very rich, producing countless atmospheres, textures and nuances that give the listener a wonderful experience. The first official release is the one I will review right away, in which the cello hadn't been added yet, so these first compositions are the true introduction to the band's first steps, just before gaining their own style with the cello player.

This single was released in 2007 and has 3 nice songs that make a total time of 14 minutes. It kicks off with "More Oxygen, I Said" whose first notes come from the bass guitar; later the guitars and drums join and together begin to build a structure with a beautiful sound, in the likes of bands such as Tristeza or Explosions in the Sky. It is great how the intensity is increasing little by little, until it becomes truly emotional and of course, truly enjoyable. "Mooncake" is the second song, and it is a beautiful small composition that follows the same style: enchanting guitar driven post rock that begins slow and then becomes heavier and much more emotional.

And last but not least it is "Rain in the Ashtray" which is a damn good song. Man, they know how to make people feel excited in a 6-minute track; they know how to produce a lot of emotions and how to play with the intensity. The song simply flows beautifully, it is a true wonder, of course, my favorite and I think the best song of this release. Totally recommendable to any post rock fan.

Now don't pay attention to my rating, because as a reviewer I have my "own rules" which don't allow me to rate releases under 20 minutes with more than 2 stars, unless it is the EP or single of my life. Enjoy it!