TheMoonDanceExperiment
Fall Awake In Your Dreams Tonight
Experiment?

"TheMoonDanceExperiment is comprised of three Columbus, Ohio natives who are unveiling a new movement toward independent creation of a sound named "LUNAR EXPERIMENTALISM." The passion and dream of TheMoonDanceExperiment is to lead their listeners and viewers into "LUNAR CONSCIOUSNESS," the frame of mind in which: every sound is poetry, every image is a spectacle, every movement is monumental."

So says a biography included in a folder with this album. This and the name of the band should guarantee the trio status as an in-house band here at Luna Kafe. TheMoonDanceExperiment (TMDE) has sought inspiration from an ancient and extinct South American tribe named Luna Nation that once danced in circular motions to irregular drum rhythms. As the name suggests, the group strives towards an unearthly sound and throws in quite a few experiments and tribal rhythms for good measure. The band members themselves have recorded the album at their own Crater Studios and released it on their own label. There are a booklet of words, not the lyrics but other words in the stream of consciousness vein, with psychedelic drawings and a couple of psychedelic gig posters as well in this package.

As the above suggests, it's easy to put TMDE in the psychedelic or space rock camp. But not their entire output. Some of the tracks can to a certain extent remind of Pink Floyd of the late 60s after the Syd Barrett era and even Hawkwind or Ozric Tentacles at the most relaxed. The way First Cell is sung, is quite close to the Porcupine Tree's sound. But there are few guitars around, TMDE is mainly a keyboard based band, and the songs are mixed with sound effects and experiments. Together with those ethnic rhythms, they make TMDE into something of its own kind.

The 14 tracks of the album have a loose structure with few clear beginnings or ends. They are woven into one another to a kind of 70 minutes entity. The production is DIY and cannot match the quality of albums by the aforementioned British groups. The band seems more interested in moods and words than producing strong melodies and individual musical skills. I have a problem with the more experimental stuff; the tracks start out quite exciting, but to me they don't seem to develop that much. Fall Awake In Your Dreams Tonight includes some fascinating songs such as Tonight We Take A New Direction, Let It Rise You Up and First Cell where they succeed in getting me into a certain mood - or consciousness if they so wish. But I guess some of the songs of the album can work out better live. I think they'd gain by playing around and developing their ideas and songs further before starting the recording process. This kind of music might also be improved by a more professional sound. Maybe they ought to find a producer outside the band next time? On the other hand, the album has a certain fresh feel that more established bands lack. If you seek an independent and aspiring group that seeks new directions, you don't need to look any further. All in all Fall Awake In Your Dreams Tonight is an unusual album for these days.

Copyright © 2000 JP