Snowbird: Moon - review
In the yawning absence of the crown jewels of the shoe-gaze movement, The Cocteau Twins, the group’s former bassist, Simon Raymonde, has recognised an opportunity, and replicated the formula, with exactitude.
These days, Raymonde runs the almost always great Bella Union label, and I guess that gives him the latitude to do what he wants with his own project, but it feels a little too calculating in its 3D printer copy of Elizabeth Fraser’s trilling lovely flights of fancy (replacement: Stephanie Dosen) and the Cocteaus’ gorgeous yet sometimes just a bit precious ambient haze and sweet melodies.
And yet… unlike Fraser, Dosen sings recognisable lyrics, not made-up words, and Moon feels less introverted and more collaborative, due to contributions from members of Radiohead, Midlake, and others. A second disc remixes the group, separating out the dub-like elements.
