There Is No Mountain
Luna
Reviewed by: Adelie Salagnac
As a husband-and-wife duo, you would expect There Is No Mountain to release a record sounding like every cheesy song ever written by a struck-by-love couple. Because what could possibly be rock n’ roll about a married couple working together? Yet, the psych-pop band from Portland, Oregon, somehow managed to make me think twice about this statement.
Releasing Luna, their sophomore full-length, Kali Giaritta (drummer and vocalist) and Matt Harmon (guitarist and vocalist) explored the highs and lows that come with the touring lifestyle, having played more than 250 shows in a two-year span, traveled around the country and back, and crashed on many strangers’ couches. They delivered a cleverly written and cohesive piece of work, after releasing a pair of three-song EPs last year, Sea of Storm and Sea Island.
Produced, mixed and mastered by Harmon himself, this 12-track record starts off with the heavily edited instrumental solo of the song “Benjamin”, straightforwardly setting the tone of the album. Modal melodies, paired to a dueling vocal arrangement that let the couple’s chemistry shine through, form a new refreshing sound. And that is part of the duo’s strength, that chemistry between the two partners, each with a powerful and distinctive voice, who complete each other rather than hinder each other like it is unfortunately often the case with that kind of band setting.
Combining elements of psychedelic rock, folk and Americana, as well as classical and world music, There Is No Mountain achieved the difficult task to recreate the feeling of a live performance, while still incorporating their blends of effects. However profoundly edited, the songs still feel simple, if you will. “What If?” and “Waterbound” are perfect examples, using efficient acoustic guitar work, well thought-through lyrics, whimsical vocals, and studied melodies, creating a fairly good “raw to rearranged” ratio.
Luna takes us on an hour-long trip through their souls. With complex song structures and orchestrations, the songs flow naturally and build up a crystal-clear picture of the duet’s minds and visions. Providing unique and singular expressions, the record combines sadness, with darker themes of anxiety and depression, to bubbly optimism. Relatable and honest, There Is No Mountain’s Luna is modern and unexpected.
Rating: Listenable
