Pigeon Opinion Featuring an Interview with Moon Mother

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Interview with Moon Mother

(^)> On Meadowlands, darkness transforms into a search for light — what emotional moment first sparked the album’s core vision?

It feels like writing songs always comes from the act of transmuting pain into something beautiful. With Meadowlands it all started with the word of bearing ”witness” to things from my past that was ready to be voiced. By the time we got to November of 24’ the whole album came pouring out of us both very violently. It was a moment of just giving into the creative force, take the backseat and let the music work you. It was not until all the songs were there that we could see that the music really mirrored the whole death-rebirth process too.

(^)> How did recording the album at home shape the raw, live energy that defines the sound?

Recording at home catches you in your zone like nothing else, which for this type of album will be very beneficial. You can let your guard down in a way I don’t think you can in a studio. You can take your time and if you learn to work with the whole home studio-thing I think it can come truly great things out of it.

(^)> Your music blends slowrock structure with Nordic folk atmosphere — how did growing up in western Sweden influence that fusion?

This combination of sound we feel has happened naturally as our upbringing were in different ways full of turmoil. So the way back from the chaos has involved getting in touch with who we were before it all happened. You connect to the things you remember from your childhood. The stories, the songs, the melodies etc maybe you even connect to the more primal parts of life.

Also when chaos happens in your life early you become sort of cut off from your roots so it has been an exploration of connect to our roots again which has taken the shape of melodies I guess. The natural world has played a big part in our healing and it is a big part of our inspiration so I think it’s has just happened very naturally as we strive to be authentic in our music making.

(^)> Instruments like accordion and birch-trumpet play a central role — what drew you to those textures over more conventional arrangements?

Well.. we didn’t plan on it at first and we struggled to get something that felt like what we were searching for out of a synthesizer at first but it didn’t get us excited like we wanted to be. So then we experimented with more traditional, acoustic instruments and adding big verbs and stuff to it and we realized these soundscapes added their soul to the atmosphere.

Almost as if the instruments told the old stories themselves. We sort of decided that we should follow through to the end with this idea. Pat learned to play the accordion and other things just to be able to put it on the album. It was a challenge in many ways but sometimes it gets more fun when you take the not so easy way.

(^)> The album moves through themes of grief, isolation, and survival — how do you translate such heavy experiences into something hopeful?

It just what I do I guess and it is just a mirror of my life. I feel like I would not be here if I wouldn’t have the music and singing and the writing and the dreaming so it’s just as natural as breathing for me. I deal with life and whatever it brings through my music and my story is a heavy one but I always manage to seek the sun. By creating the world of Moon Mother I am creating a place where I can exist as I am, with both sorrows and wins.

(^)> The vocal presence is deeply central to the record — what role does voice play in building the “månrock” identity?

Well.. the voice is the expression of it all. From the storytelling that dances in the center to how it adds and pour emotions around it all with the more primal vocalizations and choirs etc so I would say it’s taking up space because it’s what it’s all about. It’s a place to reclaim my voice after what I have been through. The moment I realized I could do that in music everything changed, that’s where Moon Mother began.

(^)> Meadowlands is described as a journey through seasonal cycles — how intentional was that life–death–rebirth arc during writing?

It was not planned at first but music making is always a sort of death and rebirth process I guess. Being very connected to the seasonal cycles I think it just got mirrored in the sound. It wasn’t until the songs fell into the right place and we could see the full picture of it that we realized that the journey through seasons were very present within the album.

(^)> Many listeners describe the music as ritualistic or transcendental — do you see Moon Mother performances as emotional ceremonies?

Absolutly. Being a vessel of music, playing music, singing its all a very sacred act and I think it’s just as old as music itself. When our souls, personal stories, histories and emotions are fully tied to it I feel it can’t be anything else than transcendental. For me music is prayer, it’s a very intimate and religious thing, almost a link between past, present and future.

(^)> As a rising dark folk act from Sweden, what do you hope listeners carry with them after experiencing Meadowlands in full?

We hope they bring a bit of hope and warmth with them after a walk through Meadowlands. Whatever this music brings up for them, we hope they know it’s okay to be vulnerable, sadness and hope can be present at once and even if the black night feels like it will never end the sun will eventually pierce through the darkness. Keep going!

(•)> That's all, Folks! Check out Moon Mother on the Pigeon Opinion Playlist