I went out to The Bird's Nest in London to see New Luna, a post-punk, psychedelic grunge band, live. After the show I caught up with Tommy Deedigan, Zack Bamber, Toby Duncan, and Luke Moloney.
Have you ever eaten cotton candy with a cayenne pepper/cinnamon syrup? Play "Noise," the single off New Luna's self-titled EP, and you will know what I mean. The song begins in an easy dream-like state, and as you float along the melodic guitar riffs, suddenly you're hit with an edgier, rougher wave of sound. The song continues, and the rough and smooth sounds mix and mingle, coming together and falling apart in an exciting dance.
That's how the album is made, New Luna dances back and forth along the spectrum between an indie-dream-pop vibe and a powerful grunge sound. They through convention out the window and replace it with their own interpretation of alternative rock.
The four met at uni in 2015, initially bonding over Nick Drake--don't be fooled, they don't just know how to write a song, they know how to write an experience. Inspired by Radiohead, Joy Division, and Bombay Bicycle Club, New Luna takes fundamentals from rock and puts their own, original spin on top.
New Luna, both the name and the band, comes from an idea. It's not something tangible, it's something that evolves and changes to whatever you want it to be. But it comes from the desire to make noise, to be heard, but not necessarily understood or tied down. From their first hit TrafficLightCyclopsDisco to Bleaker, New Luna is most content when they're in motion, when they can change and define themselves and their music however they like. And so they keep moving.
If you can't catch New Luna on one of their upcoming shows, they're music festival veterans, so keep your eye out for them--or just stalk their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Get their music on Bandcamp, or listen on Soundcloud.
