MOON SAFARI: Himlabacken Vol. 2 (PROGRESSIVE ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

It's been ten years since Moon Safari, the Swedish band formed in the early 2000s by the three Akesson brothers, last released an album, despite a title that hinted at a forthcoming follow-up. The main reason for this hiatus? The passage to the age of reason, when fatherhood took on a predominant role in the lives of each of the band's members, notably leading to the departure of the original drummer (replaced by ex-Black Bonzo Mikael Israelsson). Despite all this, the band continued to tour and resumed full activity post-confinement, culminating in the release of the long-awaited "Himlabacken - vol. 2".

Moon Safari is usually full of imagination, dynamic, joyful progressive rock, with multiple variations of themes and carefully crafted vocal harmonies. This new opus is no exception to the tradition that has now been established for two decades, and it's certainly not the formidable 21-minute epic track that will prove the contrary. Throughout its four interlinked parts, 'Teen Angel Meets the Apocalypse' offers everything that progressive rock fans have a right to expect from a band that happily blends tradition and modernity. There's never a dull moment to disturb the listener, whose attention is constantly awakened by the richness and multiplicity of the themes and the alternating moods served up by the shimmering arrangements. The backing vocals are omnipresent, with a few nods to the Beatles.

And yet, rather unexpectedly, this new album opens with a big keyboard riff, the origin of which the most perceptive will easily find in the title of this highly dynamic first track ('198x'), carried along by sharp guitar lines. Another thinly veiled homage to the 80s is hidden in 'Blood Moon', a single-like track whose first part is strongly reminiscent of a famous Queen song, before a tasty finale preceded by a superb guitar solo.

And what can we say about 'Forever for You', whose main theme, arranged in a variety of ways over the ten minutes of the track, brings a tear to the corner of your eye, such is the fragile beauty that emanates from it that it goes straight to the heart? A prelude to a gentle finale ('Emilog'), again bursting with emotion (church organ, choirs in unison, acoustic guitar).

After a decade's absence, Moon Safari strikes a blow with 'Himlabacken - vol. 2", an opus that is both rich and accessible, presenting itself as the album of maturity for a band that broke through at a very young age on the progressive scene. A must-have. - Official website

MOON SAFARI

HIMLABACKEN VOL. 2

BURNING SHED

PROGRESSIVE ROCK