The fat groove in the opening seconds of the new single “Unstoppable” by Different Moon tells us everything we’re going to need to know about the song in a compressed, condensed beat you’ll have in your head for the remainder of the day, but for maximum chills, you have to let this single play out in its entirety. Although there’s something awesome about a pop single that can summarize itself right out of the gate, there’s as much to be marveled at in “Unstoppable” with regards to how it spreads catharsis out like cheese on a cracker. This is modern optimism set to a retro, 80s-esque harmony, and that isn’t the only sweet irony to behold in Different Moon’s new release.
Where a lot of songs would put the role of creating a rhythm on the drums almost exclusively, the task is shared between the percussion and the bassline in “Unstoppable” to give the vocal the space it needs to lead the charge as opposed to merely being a part of it. This mix isn’t as tightly synchronized as it could have been, but the unevenness it invites is intentional and utilized to make the verses sound a little more off-the-cuff and unrehearsed. Different Moon – representative of mastermind Jim Piper – doesn’t want to be like anyone else to have come before him, whether they shared aesthetical similarities or not, and that’s pushing him to try things that other players wouldn’t have the guts to in this release.
There’s nothing fancy about the production style here, but I do like that everything sounds hand-tailored to the needs of the audience rather than the ego of the artist. I get the impression that Different Moon would sideline himself even more if it meant getting a bigger and better product out of his sessions than any of his contemporaries would have, and truth be told, I think he’s creating something too unique and expressive to be ignored in “Unstoppable.” Is it cookie-cutter pop? No – the opposite – and that’s what will bring a lot of listeners defecting from a marginalized alternative sound into his camp before the year 2022 has concluded.
If “Unstoppable” is who Different Moon is at his best, you can sign me up for more of what he’s cooking in the studio right now. This is meaty pop songwriting with a lot of visceral elements left unexplored, and if potential counts for anything, I think Different Moon still has a lot of credibilities next to some of the artists who haven’t been in this game half the time he has.ext “Unstoppable” shares a lot with the throwback pop/rock that a lot of us grew up on, but with one difference – artistic perspective. What was impossible then is now chartable territory in 2022, and this seems like the right artist to delve into the unknown as much as possible in his future work. All in all, I think this is a project that a lot of people need to be taking seriously this autumn.
Garth Thomas
The music of Different Moon has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division. Learn more https://musikandfilm.com