- Bryon Harris
Moon Rise City - 'Suspicious Creature'
Review by Sylvie Marie & Staff

South African Singer-Songwriter, Lauren Tracy and French/Vietnamese Musician, Indy Laville met from opposite sides of the world, in Vietnam. Their music incorporates a vast span influences from multiple countries, cultures, and collaborators. An indie fusion of swing, folk and psychedelic rock, their sound is as independent and unique as it's creators. Moon Rise City writes, records, produces and performs their music. Their second single, "Suspicious Creature" is a great way to get to acquainted with their sound.
"Suspicious Creatures" opens with a psychedelic swirling of mysterious synth ambiance. The rhythm is free with chord changes on the first downbeat of the 4/4 meter. Droplets of electronic sounds add texture to the track. Soon a low bass beat on the drum clears through the cloudy sound with four beats marking the entrance of the vocals on the first verse.
Lauren Tracy enters singing with sultry, bluesy and edgy vocals. "You suspicious creature with your enticing smile, your hair your skin your eyes disguises the demise of a tainted soul that draws me into a black hole. After her entrance, the track opens up with a swampy sway with percussive emphasis on two and four for a groove you can move to and get lost in.
Each musician on the track is from a different country. Performers include: South African Singer-Songwriter Lauren Tracy, French/Vietnamese Guitarist Indy Laville, Ukrainian drummer Anton Sydorenkov, and American bassist Ben Eisenberg. Together, and from different corners of the world, the musicians create a chill vibe filled with subtle nuance and intensity.
Snazzy, soft and swaying percussion, a deep-felt bass heartbeat, sparkling guitar riffs, gritty vocals, and ghostly harmonies, mesmerizes listeners from beginning to end. At the end of the song, the track dramatically slows down as Lauren melts the last line off the track. "You move me in my sleep and haunt me in my wake. I’m stuck in a limbo between pleasure and mistake."
"Suspicious Creature" is a song about an attraction that "intoxicates the senses" and the price paid for falling too fast. As the lyrics unfold, the feeling of being wrapped around someone's finger too tightly emerges. The price paid for such this soul-tie is unveiled with words and phrases like: "trapped", "evil game", "suspicious", "lies", and "black hole." Establishing that the relationship is toxic, the lyrics explore the idea that the thrill of uncertainty is the key to understanding the magnetic, yet toxic attraction.

"Suspicious Creature" is a haunting song that draws you deep into the world of infatuation and the emotional fall that follows. The musicianship and vocal performance will keep your ears locked in to every note and the story will resonate with anyone who has ever fallen for a mysterious lover who goes from intoxicating to toxic. Moon Rise City does a fantastic job of creating music that colors outside the lines, both musically and lyrically, and the end result is an artistic creature comprised of music and words that stay with you in your sleep.
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