8/10

There’s a quiet sense of evolution running through City of the Sun's latest LP 'Under the Moon'. While the group have long built their identity on expansive, instrumental storytelling, this record feels more deliberate in its scope, refining it into something more cohesive and immersive.

Working alongside Phil Ek, the band lean into a more organic, performance-driven approach. The production resists excess, favouring a live, in-the-room energy that allows each instrument to retain its natural presence. That decision proves central to the album’s impact as the band build depth through interplay, allowing rhythm and melody to evolve in real time.

Across its thirteen tracks, 'Under the Moon' moves fluidly between styles without ever feeling fragmented. There are moments that draw from Latin traditions, passages shaped by blues phrasing, and stretches that echo indie and post-rock atmospherics. Yet the album’s defining quality is not its genre range, but its sense of place. Each composition feels geographically and emotionally rooted, whether through the rolling momentum of 'Angeles', the understated pull of 'London', or the warmer, more rhythmic sway found elsewhere.

What stands out is the band’s ability to communicate without relying on lyrical structure. Themes of change and reflection are embedded in the dynamics themselves, with gradual builds, restrained openings, and carefully timed releases. Tracks like 'Twenty Twenty One' and 'Cinderella Man' carry a weight that unfolds patiently, allowing us to settle into the atmosphere rather than being pushed toward a conclusion.

The collaborative moment on 'Vuela', featuring Gizmo Varillas, introduces a subtle shift in texture, but remains consistent with the album’s wider tone. Even here, the focus stays on mood and continuity rather than contrast.

By the time the record reaches its closing moments, there’s a clear sense of resolution. 'Under the Moon' invites sustained attention, rewarding those who engage with its gradual, unfolding structure.

It’s a measured, assured release from a band that understands the strength of restraint. In stepping back from excess and leaning into connection, City of the Sun have created a record that resonates through atmosphere as much as composition.