PREMIERE: Moon Bounce channels M83 and Michael Jackson on his debut LP, Clean House
Since 2012, Philly’s Corey Regensburg, a.k.a. Moon Bounce, has been releasing EPs that blend electronic music with hip-hop, soul, funk and a whole mess of other wonderful shenanigans. This Friday, he debuts his first ever full-length album, titled Clean House, which you can stream below.
His most cohesive work to date, Clean House features nine eccentric, no-boundaries tracks that turn electro-pop music on its head. Elements of M83 and Glass Animals seep its way into the album, amongst sultry vocals and well-crafted pop lyrics–with songwriting influences ranging from Michael Jackson to Prince to Michael McDonald.
Because Moon Bounce incorporates such a wide variety of musical inspirations and sounds, it can be difficult to sum up exactly where his music lies on the genre spectrum. If this album was uber-specifically described, Clean House would most likely stand alone in a genre titled electro-pop-funk-theatric-soul-video-game-hip-hop-sultriness. Corey, however, offers a simpler, less hyphenated musical category: pop music.
“I know it seems like a dumb distillation, but I feel like it’s just pop music that’s weird and freaky,” Regensburg says. “There’s a new sub-genre everyday—I’m trying to digest that as best I can and make something that is a substantial piece in the pop conversation today.”
Opening song, “In Showers,” explosively lifts off the album, followed by my personal favorite track, “Drugs” (I highly advise also watching the hilarious photoshoot of a video.) “Shepherd’s Wife” takes an introspective look into fears of commitment and marriage, while R&B infused single, “Empty Hole,” steadily builds into a hyperdrive of sounds.
“Antidote” features a warped, Broadway sounding duet with all boy/all girl, and “Safe Word” and “Bad Man” serve as the steamier of the bunch–with the latter featuring an incredibly important, saucy sax solo, amidst minimalist beats. Listeners are then dropped into a tripped-out Mario Kart game in “Your Time,” while final track, “So Long,” closes the album in an anthemic, dance party fashion.
At its core, Clean House is a playful piece of pop music that, while carefully-crafted, doesn’t take itself too seriously. Injecting theatrical dark comedy into his music and performances is an important element in Moon Bounce’s work, and what helps to set Clean House apart.
As Regensburg says, “I’m trying to create the irony between something playful and weird and almost hokey sounding, with darker, emotional, temperamental material. If I’m trying to explore something serious, it becomes sort of contrived if I make serious music.”
Listen to this ironic juxtaposition of genres and sounds for yourself by streaming the album below. Plus, grab your friends and have an awkward karaoke experience while singing along to “Safe Word.”
Then, don’t miss the hometown return show of Moon Bounce and electronic hip-hop rapper, Ehiorobo‘s Spring tour at Ulana’s on April 15th. Check out the XPN Concert Calendar for more info and check out their spring tour dates and flyer below.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
3/31 – State College, PA @ Chronic Town (Penn State University)
4/1 – Brooklyn, NY @ C’mon Everybody
4/2 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
4/3 – Rochester, NY @ Hotel 168
4/4 – Buffalo, NY @ Dreamland Arts
4/5 – Ferndale, MI @ The Loving Touch
4/7 – Muncie, IN @ Be Here Now
4/8 – Chicago, IL @ Annex
4/9 – Nashville, TN @ Springwater
4/11 – Chapel Hill, NC @ The Cave
4/12 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery
4/13 – Richmond, VA @ Gallery5
4/14 – Asbury Park, NJ @ The Saint
4/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Ulana’s
