Moon Rabbit Retreat – Musician Spotlight
Moon Rabbit Retreat – That’s one small step for man, and one giant leap for…rabbit-kind?
That is perhaps the best way to describe Habitat, the latest EP from progressive indie rock band Moon Rabbit Retreat. Habitat was released in late December 2020 as the trio’s second release, following up their debut EP, Watering Hole, released in 2019. Their latest four-venture provides a fun 22-minute trip into the minds of three talented musicians from Northern New Jersey, with each track bringing a fresh combination of ‘70s-era classic rock, synth-filled prog rock, and jazz-inspired indie rock to the listener’s ears.
The EP’s opening track, “Sine Language,” takes inspiration from its title as the song’s sound oscillates between a funky, retro-futuristic synth section and a calming, harmonic vocal chorus section – much like the peaks and valleys evident in a sine wave.
The music video for this track, released in April 2021, mirrors this same pattern, with stock footage from ‘70s sci-fi and trippy original animations from Micah Buzan alternating back and forth each time the song switches gears. These two synth and vocal fugues combine quite nicely, despite providing very unique sounds in their own right; and together they create a memorable and fun opening for Moon Rabbit Retreat’s second studio release.
Following this track is “Between the Grey,” the first song on the EP to really highlight the band’s vocals and lyricism. Like the album opener, this track has several distinct movements complete with key changes and tempo shifts, but this time the changes are less formulaic and come at different intervals throughout the track.
The song opens and closes with similar sections of muddy vocals over instrumentation, with varying rhythms and melodies peeking out throughout the core of the song. By ending with a grander version of the opening segment, the trio delivers a familiar sound to the listener, perhaps referencing the track’s title and reminding the listener that life is not always about familiarity. Sometimes it’s about what is between the grey.
“Yeah, Sorry. / Better (Reprise)” follows, and is one of the most straightforward songs on the release. Opening with lyrics pertaining to the variety of changes one may experience in their lives – from the breaking down of relationships to the changing of the seasons – the song evolves from your standard vocals-over-acoustic-guitar fare into a psychedelic sound that makes you feel like you’re floating through space. Habitat’s third track is definitely its most celestial and ethereal in sound.
The latest release from Moon Rabbit Retreat ends on “Homesick.” While this song is the shortest of the release’s tracks, it certainly doesn’t lack when it comes to its impact on the viewer. A wistful-sounding track seemingly inspired by indie tracks from the early ‘00s, “Homesick” is the trio’s call to returning to their roots. The band croons, “I’m going home / streets are all the same” over ethereal synths and guitars. The track ends with a sample of a NASA message to returning astronauts, welcoming them home from their latest trip to space.
Overall, Moon Rabbit Retreat’s second EP is a fun and multi-faceted experience for a variety of listeners. The band’s talent at meshing together multiple musical influences and genres creates a pleasurable experience for the listener, sending them out to space and back in the course of the release’s 22-minute runtime.
Austin’s arbitrary rating: 79 moons, all circling Jupiter and full of rabbits. 🌚🐇
Favorite track: “Yeah, Sorry. / Better (Reprise)”
Moon Rabbit Retreat is a progressive indie rock trio hailing from Northern New Jersey. Their music is influenced by their use of unique synth sounds and jazz sensibilities. You can find Moon Rabbit Retreat on Bandcamp, Spotify, Facebook, and YouTube.
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