Hawaii/Salt Lake City Cinematic Dream Wave Band, Lunar Twin, have just released their third album Ghost Moon Ritual. The band describe Ghost Moon Ritual is a song-cycle influenced by redemption, hope, failure and endurance.
Tomatrax caught up with Bryce Boudreau, the band's vocalist, to ask a few questions.
How did the band form?Lunar twin formed after I met Chris by chance Via friends in Red Bennies the legendary SLC art noise band. We initially just made a few songs which became an ep . 5 years later ghost moon Ritual is Our third release.
Where did the name Luna Twin come from?
Lunar Twin was something that when it came time to pick a name I guess we felt like It was a moniker we Didnt despise and one that we Could live With. We later found out the Navajo have a Creation story about the "Lunar Twins "I initially saw the term in print in an article about The science communities disputed theory that the earths moon once had a twin. But we don't read to much into it it's whatever people want it to mean .
You've just released your latest album, how does it feel to have it out? Feel grateful it's finished . Completing one is never really that easy . Strange times to be releasing a record feels kinda unimportant in context to larger events happening.
Where did the title Ghost Moon Ritual come from?
Well ...it's kinda vague it could MeanSometimes you might feel surrounded by ghosts metaphorically or physically , the "hungry Ghost Moon " Is the name the Chinese have Given to the calendar as the 7 month of the lunar year. The term ritual is again kinda vague an action you preform But strung together We feel the title Works for this music and album art and For who we are.
The cover art is an Infared photograph of the Mojave Desert taken at Joshua Tree . It is the work of a photographer named Steve Zigler. We felt it was perfect photo to encapsulate the stories in the songs.
You referred to the album as a "song cycle", when you began writing was it your intention to make a concept album?
No we didn't. I suppose it could be seen as such , or not. depending on the listener For us it was more about having a solid theme Something That felt cohesive And unifying but also Was feral and free and could stand on its own as seperate parts Or assembled together as album.
You've also said how various events that occurred during the writing and recording influenced the album, did this mean the end result was different to the sound you had in mind at the beginning? I suppose At least for us when we start writing and recording an album we never truly know what will happen Or where it will lead us. Sure we have rough ideas but we try and take it further
You've challenged grief, hope and joy into the album, is it hard having something so personal on show like this?That was Worded and done by publicist I apologize it does sound pretentious 😂😂We lazily forgot to edit out that part before we sent to you.Making something you create public is both uncomfortably personal but also at the same Freeing in its being out in open. . But most of what I write isn't my first person experience it can be from one degree of seperation or from random sources I Generally gather ideas from.
What's the music scene in Hawaii like?
I live a very quiet private life in rural part of the state and am isolated Far away from Honolulu. So respectfully I can't really comment on the music scene here in Hawaii as I don't have first hand knowledge of it . But what I do know is it's mainly rooted in Hawaiian music or reggae . Both Beautiful amazing genres but not something I'm a part of . I do know Hawaiian music is revered in Japan and do most the big artist here tour there . The music we do seems to be listened to by people on the mainland North America and in the EU . And in Latin America for what ever reason Hawaii hasn't really the place for this type of music .
Do you ever listen to your own music?I listen to the music continuously over and over when writing and mixing and producing It so by the time a release is mastered and out my relationship with it as a listener is over and don't listen to it beyond that point.
What music do you listen to? I been listening a lot lately to Nas, Warren Ellis and nick cave soundtrack work , Nina Simone ,Brian Eno , the Absynnians, Kate Temptest,public enemy , A song called Chola by Bill Yonson, janes addiction, Joy division. Dead moon and lots of other random music
Now that the album is out what do you have planned next? Working on new material As Lunar Twin . I Also recorded a new single and video "the river"with Italian Artist Unruly Girls Songwriter Luca Zotti And That will come out at some point later in the year.
Check out Luna Twin's website to find out more!
