An emotive and eclectic rock appeal shows across Moonfactory, an album released today from London-based duo Hyde Out. Comprising artists Omar Merlo and Jaka Levstek, the project draws from a range of inspirations and decades — citing everything from ’60s and ’70s folk to ’80s electro-pop and ’90s British pop/rock.
“With Moonfactory, we wanted to create something that felt both familiar and new,” the duo explains. “This album is a reflection of our journey as musicians, blending everything we’ve learned from the past decade and beyond into something fresh and exciting. It’s about enjoying the ride, no matter what life throws at us.”
A multitude of highlights show throughout, starting with opening track “Oblivious.” This gem feels particularly in that aforementioned ’90s British pop/rock vein, particularly in the “my money’s on the guy,” hooky vibrance and choir-like vocal effects — lending a wonderfully grandiose soaring as the track comes to a close. “Only Words” is another standout, also featuring strings with heartrending invigoration — this time set amidst a more folk-friendly nostalgia. The “cut like blades,” vocal ascent is gripping in its emotional, chamber-pop ferocity.
“Games We Play” excels in finding a middle ground between compelling balladry and anthemic rock. A soaring guitar line, approaching the three-minute turn, plays with an especially rock-forward impact into rousing vocals; it makes for a lovably melodic treat, on an album with an abundance of successes. There’s no shortage of quality songwriting throughout Moonfactory.
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“Games We Play” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.
