la lune – everything is an eternal circle and it repeats and repeats itself

la lune – everything is an eternal circle and it repeats and repeats itself – EP Review

I once stated that eight songs is almost an album, but eight tracks is even more suspect.  I know an EP when I see one…and as always, I’ll take whatever I can get from the bands and artists I love listening to.  Hard to believe that it’s been a year since la lune put out their debut EP disparity, and yet here we are.  Back again with a brand-new record, everything is an eternal circle and it repeats and repeats itself is out there officially and available online everywhere now.  Heck, you might have even seen me in the crowd at their release party at The Rickshaw earlier this month!  I keep an ear & an eye on la lune as best I can.

The recent show la lune put on was absolutely killer by the way – that’s an objective FACT, not solely my opinion.  To see this band out there crushing it the way they did was complete confirmation for me – I knew there was something special in this crew’s music from the moment I heard it, but to see how much support they were able to pull in was honestly astonishing.  I’m talkin’ physical bodies in front of the stage y’all.  I saw them back in 2024 at The Pearl, where they played a decent set to a modest crowd – and I’m tellin’ ya firsthand, The Rickshaw was packed with an audience about ten times the size from when I last saw them, and la lune was playing with the confidence, energy, and excitement you’d normally see in veterans of the scene that have been around a whole lot longer than they have been.  It was genuinely a testament to how much they’ve grown in such a relatively short amount of time, and it was one of those shows that simply felt like pure victory from start to finish.  You could see the members of la lune looking out into the crowd, knowing that the work they’ve been putting in built what was now standing in front of them, but still humbly surprised to see that many people at their show.  I was freakin’ ecstatic to see it…sure, I like being right about my hunches, but they also truly deserve the support – la lune had a great thing going on from day one, but it’s expanded in all the right directions.

Shout-outs are also warranted for the entire bill that night.  Four bands in total, and everyone out there on stage put on a wicked set.  Hillsboro made me an instant lifelong fan with their chaotic energy.  No joke, that band is a serious force to be reckoned with and a must-see live.  They set the whole standard for the night and primed the stage for success.  Dead Soft was a million times better than the last time I saw them, but I’ve always enjoyed their music – they sounded at their best without a doubt.  Woolworm was…hmm…let’s just say they’ve really got their own identity and a scathing sense of humor to go with their punk-inspired sound.  The pit went nuts behind me all of a sudden when they took the stage, which I wasn’t ready for whatsoever, and I’ll be damned if some young punkasses didn’t push me right into the barricade at the front of the stage hard enough to practically shatter my goddamn pelvis.  Took the wind right outta me if I’m being real with ya!  Usually I’m ready for that shit, but this seemed to have come straight outta nowhere.  That’s the price you gotta pay for being in the front row sometimes, and I’m always willing to pay the cost…even if that means broken bones, yessir.  Then of course, la lune played, and to be honest, they were fantastic.  Took full charge of the stage, owned it, and sent us on our way.  Felt like it was the shortest set of the three…I don’t know if that was actually the case, but it seemed like they came out, handled their business like the four badasses they are, and that was all there was to it.  No encore, despite the whole crowd of us yelling for more.  You want an encore?  Go to their next show.

Or do what I did…come home and keep listening.  “new swell” starts out the latest la lune record with an endearing melancholy…the thoughtful seconds before that same swell turns into a full-on wave of sound that’ll crash right over top of you, which “quiet considerations” quite happily goes on to do.  Full disclosure, I didn’t know ANY of the new songs when I went to the show – and when they played this cut as their opening track, I was fully blown away.  The guitars are absolutely awesome…the vocal samples threaded into it are a perfect complement…the backing vocals from bassist Olivia-Grace Wells are an essential ingredient…”quiet considerations” has really got it all.  Especially in terms of its overall dynamics…this whole track is a vibe, and it’s seriously addictive AF.  I made a comparison of la lune to Death Cab For Cutie back in one of my previous reviews, and I still stand by that…it’s the earlier side of the Death Cab sound, but that raw & artistic edge is precisely what la lune has sharpened even further.  At the end of the day, “quiet considerations” is a stellar example of great songwriting & gripping sound combined – to have this as a first impression of everything is an eternal circle and it repeats and repeats itself is a masterclass on how to lock in the attention of everybody listening & get’em excited for more.

They continue to pillage.  “expressionless” continues to shine a bright light on lead-singer/guitarist Ethan Rebalkin’s ability to write amazing material with his band and execute at a spectacularly high level.  For a band that’s able to ramp themselves up into the infamous wall of sound when they feel like it, they display a tremendous amount of control on their brand of sonic chaos.  “expressionless” has the same kind of fierce energy you’d find in a song like “Send The Pain Below” by Chevelle from back in the day as it begins, or when it’s at its most intense, but wisely, la lune goes on to use their mellower dynamics in contrast to create music that’s multi-dimensional & much more compelling to listen to.  So like…yeah…I mean, don’t get it twisted…I’m not trying to draw a line between Chevelle and la lune, they’re entirely different bands…but what I am saying is that “expressionless” shows they can crank up the distortion with single-worthy fireworks in a similar way if they choose to, while simultaneously knowing that there’s more to creating songs that’ll last longer over time.  That’s the difference I suppose – I’ve long burnt out a track like “Send The Pain Below,” but I doubt I’ll ever get tired of “expressionless.”  If you want my REAL opinion on a comparison, I actually think a track like this is more along the lines of something you’d find in Failure, especially when you consider how the drums of Taylor Pawsey factor in, or the searing tones from the guitars play a role.  I’m just about the world’s biggest Failure fan, but even I’d tell ya that even a slightly more melodic bend would have turned that band’s sound into the perfect storm – and when I listen to “expressionless,” it feels like la lune has that same extraordinary potential.  Something like the Failure sound, crossed with like, Red Martian.  So hell yeah, I’m more than impressed with how this record is turning out so far…by this point on their new EP, it’s so undeniably apparent that la lune has taken all the right steps to level up in everything they do.  It’s the same sound you already loved in the band, but with the focus & confidence it always deserved.  Sometimes you just need a little confirmation that you’re on the right path…a little time, a little experience…and BOOM – you get this.  la lune will continue to excel for years and years now, mark my words and feel free to quote me on that – they sound like they know exactly what they wanna do with their music now, and they’re playing with such powerful intention and purpose in every moment.

“raaaawr XD” is fun – and why not have some of that?  Look, I’m not gonna be the guy that’s gonna make an argument that every fifteen second interlude is entirely crucial to any record out there, this one included.  Do I enjoy it though?  Sure!  It’s all good.  “raaaawr XD” doesn’t complain about ME existing, so I won’t complain about IT existing either.  Sound fair?  Seem reasonable?  Cool.  Then I’m moving on…

Again, fantastic ideas on the guitars all throughout this record.  From what I’ve read, you’ve got Ethan handling the lead in most situations, trading that responsibility occasionally with Ben Lock, and from the credits that come along with the record, even drummer Taylor picks up an axe every so often too.  la lune understands that diversity can be a major asset when it comes to the art of making music, and that there are multiple ways to get something done – so not everyone in the band has to be in such a static place all the time.  They can switch things up, like having Olivia up front on the mic on a track like “falling to” for example – that’s another great idea, and another one that works to the band’s advantage.  I think that la lune has displayed a metric ton of maturity on this record in terms of how they made it, and when you combine that with the artistic integrity they have in the vision for their sound…I mean…like I’ve been tellin’ ya all along y’all – la lune has something special that the rest just don’t.  “falling to” is a sensational hybrid by every definition…call it Indie-Rock if you wanna overall, but it’s got sublime burst of Shoegaze and Post-Rock in the mix as well, and that makes for another tremendously dynamic track on their new EP.  One thing has become apparently clear, song after song, and that’s that when la lune wants to hit the switch and send things from quiet to loud, they’re doing that perfectly – whether it’s “falling to,” “expressionless” or “quiet considerations,” they’re all designed with that moment that takes a great song even further into the stratosphere.  As a result, the moments where they go from loud back to quiet are equally effective…they’ve found the right approach to make everything stand out as it should and really maximize the way their songwriting & performances make a connection with us on the other side of the speakers.  “falling to” highlights what the band can do with a bit more space and a little more room – and with Olivia’s vocals leading the way here, they remind me more of what you’d hear in a band like Slow Pulp right now.  I certainly ain’t complaining about that…that’s more great company to be keeping as far as my ears are concerned.  This whole record is truly leaps and bounds over their last.

“are we over it yet?”  We sure as hell are not!  At least I’m not.  If you are, I’m not sure we’re all that cut out to be friends.  Anyhow.  I wanna be as clear as I can be here – Ethan and Olivia singing together, is pure magic, straight up, full stop.  They’ve both shown that they can handle the lead, but the sound they get combined…might just be the way to go in many respects.  I feel very similar to Faded Paper Figures in many ways, who actually end up with a very similar sound on the microphone when combining their two main singers.  The music’s totally different, but tonally, you’ll hear similarities in the singing for sure.  “are we over it yet” still possesses something closer to that slow-burning style of sound that Failure was built around for the most part, but I gotta say, I’m loving it every time la lune feels inclined to kick one of them pedals and lurch forward en masse into that next level of melodic energy like they do so well on this song.  The most I’ll concede to ya, is that where I feel like every song on this record so far seems to make more of an instant impact, “are we over it yet” might take a spin or two to convince you that it’s every bit as strong, if it’s not the outright unsung hero in this entire lineup of tunes, which it could very well be to many listeners out there.  I’ll put it to you this way, coming from a guy that talks about music all day, every day, I find it way harder to pinpoint any singular element of “are we over it yet” as to be the ultimate standout part that makes it great.  Ultimately, that’s a compliment…it’s the unity you can hear in the band as a whole that makes this song as stellar as it is.  I ain’t dismissing the magic of the way the vocals contribute to this cut, as I’ve made crystal fucking clear – but I’m also saying that every part of the band has been firing on all cylinders throughout “are we over it yet” and they’ve really found all the right ways to get the best out of themselves in the setlist for everything is an eternal circle and it repeats and repeats itself.  I knew there was a great chance I’d like or love this record, especially after seeing it all being played live & such…but I’ll be damned if they haven’t exceeded the wildest expectations I had.  Like, that one spot between 1:25-1:30 on this song alone is worth the entire price of admission; it’s an irresistible hook on this track, and yet it’s just one of a full series of great ideas from la lune on this EP – you’ll get another dose of it before this song is over, thankfully – it’s a brilliantly understated hook that is still entirely impossible to ignore if you’re listening to this record with the proper holes in your body.

And it flows, perfectly, into the chaos that is its title track, the short twenty-eight seconds of “everything is an eternal circle and it repeats and repeats itself.”  Again…I’m all for it, it’s fun, it’s loud, it’s freakin’ gnarly, and it sets up its own encore here in its own built-in way.  Controlled chaos…la lune be thy name.

C’mon now…you telling me that Ethan is practically a dead-ringer for Ken Andrews as he starts to sing “the ache?”  And what about those guitar notes ringing out into the atmosphere?  I can’t say I know anything for a certain fact, but either the dude has grown up listening to Failure like I did, or I’ve just introduced him to one of his new favorite bands.  “the ache” is everything I wanted to hear at the end of this record, truly.  The entire journey here has been nothing short of listening to la lune at their very best, and this last cut touches on basically everything we’ve heard along the way that’s made it great, while still ramping up the ending to explosive speaker-crunching heights.  Probably my favorite cut of the bunch for how Ethan sings it in the lead, and Olivia’s been consistently great in the harmonies.  For as low as this band likes to keep their vocals set in the mix, every time they peek through, it’s like a break of sunshine through the clouds, and you really just have to marvel at how great of a combination their sound is together.  When you factor in how the guitars are probably having their most noticeable highlight as well, I mean…it’s literally a case of what else could you possibly want?  la lune has proven to have zero weak points on this record…Ben’s guitars are killer, Olivia’s bass is supremely steady, Taylor’s drums provide reliable stability on a consistent basis, and Ethan’s got that low-key Indie charisma you just wanna keep listening to – but beyond all that, they really upped their game on the actual material all-around.  These songs…this record…it’s all built to last, and I’m confident that it will.  From its humble beginning, to the innovative power on display through the ending of “the ache” – la lune wasn’t fucking around when it came to making this record – they executed with confidence and authority, and they’ve ended up with a special EP well ahead of their years, that is absolutely perfect for the right here & now.

Find out more about la lune from this multilink here:  https://linktr.ee/lalunelalunelalunelalune

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