Betty Moon is a unique force. Her music incorporates a wide range of influences including electro-pop, rock, and soul. On her new album ‘Hellucianation’, she allows these sounds to manifest into a driving passionate listen.
The album opens with ‘Save My Soul.’ It is a strong combination of an infectious synth melody and a driving piano. Betty’s vocals are a dominating presence, and you can hear the passion they inflict on the track. ‘Dirty Love’ is smooth, with its rumbling bassline stealing the show. The vocals are layered with overdubs, but they don’t take anything away from Betty’s powerful voice. The lyrics match the slow vibe as Betty sings: “Every time our eyes meet, I can feel your heartbeat / Electricity taking over me.”
On fourth track ‘Get Your Gun’, Betty has gone for an upbeat rockier number. Both guitar and synth are full of distortion as it sounds like an 80s cop drama. Betty’s voice breaks into a falsetto in the bridge, which shows her diversity. The chorus of ‘Run run run run / Get your gun’ is very catchy, showing that her songwriting is very strong.
Betty also covers Mansionair’s ‘Violet City’, which builds on the original song’s relaxing atmosphere. The instrumentation is sparse and compliments Betty’s voice very well.
‘All We Are’ is a dark electronica track, which is very reminiscent of the 90s, the spaced out, reverberated vocals help carry the track forward. There are some chopped up vocals in ‘Love Me Like You.’ Combined with the brass instruments and rock-influenced guitars, this is an absolute delight to listen to and a pleasant surprise. It warrants repeat listens and is perfect for a sunny day. ‘Without You’ is more melancholic and downbeat. The lyrics are beautiful, while Betty sings them passionately, you can hear the sadness in her voice.
‘Crazy’ is a fun summery electropop smash. The auto-tuned distortion on Betty’s vocals is a beautiful bit of experimentation It captures the essence of the album very nicely. Betty Moon is not afraid to stick to one genre, and ‘Hellucination’ is a welcoming introduction to her sound and personality.
Words by Ermis Madikopoulos