By Elle B
Moon, Part One is the first part of a 20-track concept album by US artist Adam Ragsdale, where he invites us to experience outer space from our bedrooms. It’s an ambitious project, three years in the making, and it is truly something to behold. An ode to outer space, to love and to some of his favourite films, Moon, Part One sees Adam combine his love of cinema, his musical talent, and his experiences with love into one cohesive artwork. As listeners, we are taken on a cinematic extraterrestrial journey with Adam as our narrator, as each track blends seamlessly into the next.
”When I first imagined the idea of what came to be known as “Moon,” I knew creating a space-induced album would lead me down a path of pushing my abilities both creatively and professionally,” Adam says. ”I also understood, if I wanted to create a cinematic storytelling album that embodied outer space, I would need it to be the highest quality production I’ve ever released. Three years later and I’ve finally finished the first half of what is probably the biggest project of my career. It’s been a massive journey just to get here and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s next.”
Moon, Part One features all of the bells and whistles you would hope to find in any good story; peaks and valleys of emotion, changes in tempo, and clever, thoughtful composition from start to finish. It’s immersive, surreal and compelling; not unlike some of the films that Adam has cited as his inspiration in creating the album, such as Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar.
To begin, we are launched into the sky with the opening track, as an immersive, cinematically dramatic intro mimicking a space shuttle launches us into the dreamy soundscape. As the album progresses, the listener finds themselves submerged in this world that Adam has created. At times we are swept up into a whirlwind of emotion, with some more upbeat songs like Dreamworks, only to be brought gently back down to Earth with slower, softer tracks, such as Is This Planetarium Real Or Am I Dreaming?, a track laced with sparkling synths that transition into melodic piano notes and captivating strings.
Each track on the record is masterfully produced, with each instrument used to optimally illuminate and enhance the spellbinding effect of Adam’s voice. Moon, Part One is a powerhouse of an album, packed full of powerful storytelling and is a must-listen for anyone with a penchant for contemporary, conceptual pop.
