The sounds of husband and wife duo Moon Eyed, aka Simon Letourneau and Elizabeth-Jane Bitze, transport the playfulness of 1960s psych-poppers into the 21st century on their debut album Haleiwa, weaving twangy guitars, glowing synths and subdued drum machines into a bedroom pop record worthy of the outdoor sunny surf community in Hawaii it's named after.
Much of Haleiwa reflects its sandy island namesake, where the duo honeymooned. The album's surf-pop tunes are lined by bending guitars and synths; soft-spoken vocals sung in unison compose a wallflower's love confession on "Heart in the Shade," while the minimalism of "Eclaircie" sounds like Françoise Hardy in the midst of Broadcast's sonic territory.
The album crests with the pulse of Bitze's organ on "Underground Ocean," which evokes waves crashing on a beach alongside Letourneau's melting, psychedelic guitar riffs. Water is a recurrent motif on the album, from its romping momentum on the surf to its ability to blanket and heal — something like love itself.
Haleiwa will unjangle any big city nerves with its beautiful simplicity.
(Pleasence)Much of Haleiwa reflects its sandy island namesake, where the duo honeymooned. The album's surf-pop tunes are lined by bending guitars and synths; soft-spoken vocals sung in unison compose a wallflower's love confession on "Heart in the Shade," while the minimalism of "Eclaircie" sounds like Françoise Hardy in the midst of Broadcast's sonic territory.
The album crests with the pulse of Bitze's organ on "Underground Ocean," which evokes waves crashing on a beach alongside Letourneau's melting, psychedelic guitar riffs. Water is a recurrent motif on the album, from its romping momentum on the surf to its ability to blanket and heal — something like love itself.
Haleiwa will unjangle any big city nerves with its beautiful simplicity.
