Moon Zero

The self-titled debut full-length by Moon Zero, the dark ambient project of London-based experimental musician Tim Garratt, is haunting and ethereal, but also focused and engaging. Garratt's smoky, billowing sound constructions are built from modified synthesizers, tape loops, and a wide array of effects, and there's a fluid, drifting rhythm to them even as they steer clear of any type of beats or percussion. The swarming "Expanding Into the Time We Have" includes something resembling a bassline, which makes it oddly soothing despite its ominous overtones. "The Solipsist" is much darker, plunging into abrasive, hair-raising distortion halfway through its 11-minute running time. "A Bevan Rotation" is another piece that finds a balance between chiming tones and gritty desolation. Garratt exhibits a remarkable sense of control, shaping the sounds into something abstract yet structured and personal. ~ Paul Simpson