Search - Lunascape :: Innerside

Singing a Story about Conflicting Emotions: Wanting to Do an

M. Mierzwa | Davis, CA USA | 10/05/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"About the Band:

Lunascape is a trip-hop / darkwave band fronted by Belgian vocalist Kyoko Baertsoen. I like to describe Kyoko's music as a blend between two well known bands the Cranberries and Delerium. Personally the genre name "trip-hop" is a bit counter intuitive to me, because the genre is a really mellow blend of electronics and dark romantic / moody lyrics.



About the Album:

Released in 2008, the 50 minute long Innerside follows Lunascape's highly successful Reminiscence (which I also recommend). Again, Kyoko's English vocals really dominate the album and are sure to please most. In fact, despite the inherent moodiness that dominates most trip-hop songs, the overall energy of the album is such that you'll probably want to dance around your room. The lyrics for all 12 tracks are included in the CD liner notes. I certainly enjoy pulling open the liner notes and singing along.



I've listed my favorite tracks below, and recommend purchasing the entire album. At times, such as on Surrender, Kyoko's vocals remind me a bit of Sarah McLachlan. Surrender is note worthy in that the song was featured (and back very popular in Belgium) as the title track for one of the more recent series of the Flikken police TV series.



Truth or Dare, my favorite track, starts off with "old world" violins, but quickly blends instruments new and old in a song in which the central character of the song is essentially asking his/her lover to finally make a commitment: yes or no, make a choice: truth or dare. Though the catchy lyrics to this song are simple and tend to repeat, they certainly will touch a cord with many of us.



Fans of electro-pop artists Yendri will really enjoy Chemical Limbo. Perhaps the most upbeat track on Innerside, it is really focused on physical expression and interpersonal chemistry.



The last track Shimmering Sun serves as the perfect closing for an album that really is an expression about the feelings locked within an individual and their personal conflict on how to best express themselves. Again the violins return here in a backing middle eastern styled backing melody similar to the early 1990s "unleaded" cover of Led Zeppelin's Kashmir (as found on No Quarter: Jimmy Page & Robert Plant Unledded).



Overall, I really wish that Baertsoen and Hillhorst (programming / keys) would have included even more backing strings into many of the tracks. Shimmering Sun and the other string pieces are good, but they could have been stronger with more strings. A more subdued use of strings is consistent with trip-hop music and does not take away from the story Kyoko is telling in Innerside. But a more prominent use of strings on the closing track could have better represented the resolution to her (the subject of the story) search of balancing inner feelings with outward expressions.



Recommended Tracks:

- Truth or Dare

- Surrender

- Chemical Limbo

- Shimmering Sun

- Outside



Similar Artists:

- Delerium

- Sarah McLachlan

- Claire Voyant

- The Cranberries

- Yendri

"