Leonard's Lair Music Reviews

Back in January, I reviewed an album by Framebreaker, an American outfit with a taste for female-fronted indie dance music; the kind last made fashionable in the late 1990’s. In a possible case of deja vu, Dotsun Moon arrive from New York with a similar tactic.

‘And I Rest’ begins with a host of clean synth lines and squiggly electronica. It doesn’t really break out from its mid-1990s trappings and for an opener on a song-based album, it lacks a distinct chorus. It’s a worrying start but ‘Flutter’ is much better with Mary Ognibene lending her dance diva vocals over the top of some House piano. It’s undeniably retro but also classy.

There are times when Ognibene threatens to run the show; an idea bolstered by some rather pedestrian arrangements but the band raise their game on a number of occasions.  ‘Heed The Warning’ is groovy and sensual, ‘Westwind To The Boulevard’ is a decent New Order impression. ‘Glory’ is soulful and yearning whilst ‘Forever Tied’ is epic and defiant.

Some might wonder whether the last ten years have passed Dotsun Moon by. Having said that, their undeniably nostalgic approach also encompasses an understanding of subtlety amongst the digital trickery and with the dominant form of Ognibene as the focal point, you wouldn’t bet against them achieving more success.

Web Sites:
Dotsun Official Site
Dotsun Moon MySpace

Further Listening:
Framebreaker, Lhooq