Moon Panda’s What On Earth empathises with an anxious generation

From the opening track “Falling” we're taken into the inner workings of an anxious mind during a period of self-reflection "I don't need to play a part, I forget that / I can be exactly who I want, I forget that". With a lot of people having these periods of reflection during and after pandemic life, along with anxiety issues, it's easy to empathise with Myers on this one. As well as being the band's singer, Myers is also the bassist, and the combination of bass work with guitarist Gustav Moltke's psychedelic input creates a sound that sits comfortably between '90s trip-hop pioneers Portishead and psychedelia rockers Tame Impala.

With song names such as “Moonrise”, “Anemone”, “Animated Forest” and “Cloud Watching” and the aptly chosen album title What On Earth, it's no wonder the record evokes a sense of otherworldly dreaminess. A particular highlight is the alluring “Rabbit”, which interestingly compares the visceral reaction of a presumably toxic relationship with the unnerved behaviour of a rabbit, building into a rousing musical crescendo at the end.

What On Earth deals with self-discovery, anxiety, and living in and out of reality. Its chilled-out tones will not be for everyone, and at times you feel like you're being lulled into some sort of anti-anxiety meditative trance, which will be a welcome experience for many I'm sure. "Everybody's trying to keep themselves together but it's hard right now" Myers muses on “Aquarium” - and perhaps while this remains to be the unfortunate truth, we may see a slight societal lean towards the mellower side of music. And there is nothing wrong with this, in fact, if you're partial to it, Moon Panda's What On Earth is a wonderfully laid-back record that provides enough variation to keep you absorbed, with some encouraging moments.