The captivating debut album from Rome-based producer Jomoon, Sugar develops wonderfully through inventive soundscapes and emotionally melodic charm — infusing aspects of UK garage, IDM, and experimental electronica within its seamless sound. Released via the Leipzig-based label NOISEBERRY, the record balances stripped-down tension with moments of euphoric release. From the industrial, unresolved whirl of the opener “Her Veins” to the heartbeat-driven danceability of “Confession,” Jomoon crafts a unique musical language that is both mysterious and emotional. The production thrives on deliberate restraint and spatial depth, weaving haunting melodic textures and driving rhythms into a cohesive, immersive success.
An eclectic album opener, “Her Veins” excels in showcasing Jomoon’s stirring tonal range. An unsettling, industrial whirl of distortion moves with pulsating intrigue as hauntingly sporadic vocals emerge. The simmering, blaring griminess shifts sharply into brighter synth frequencies around midpoint, effervescent in its trickling, caressing charm. “Her Veins” compels across both dark and light tonal spectrums, playing as a memorably atmospheric commencement. “Human Rituals” follows with a vocal-fronted rhythmic effect, complemented by rumbling bass and late-night synth quivering. Charismatic rhythms and gleeful, ascending electronics appear with enthralling impact, driving to a lovely outro with warming brass adding to the rhythmic vocal prowess.
“Crystal Eyes” arrives next, conjuring a wintry, bellowing spaciousness that struts a stylishness reminiscent of The Knife — particularly in the low-pitched vocal reflections to the dreamy lead, bolstered gorgeously by crackling vibrancy as the vocals ascend. The final minute+ then stirs with a continued soaring quality, now furthered by occasional percussive propulsions. “Confession” continues the album’s magnificent start, embracing a heartbeat-like rhythm that evolves into a melodic array of head-nodding danceability and stutter-y vocal immersion. The track envelops in its stark yet striking differentiations between dream-pop ghostliness and dancefloor-ready bustling.
Also enamoring in its lush synth frequencies and riveting vocal presence, tonally reminding of Beach House’s Victoria Legrand, “Fields” delights in its throbbing rhythms and spacey synth flourishes; its comforting, layered vocals hypnotize throughout. “We Said” achieves well within a different aesthetical realm, moving into an energetic electronic foray following a climactic build of cinematic electronics. Both this and album finale “Vicky” succeed in the largely instrumental realm, the latter infusing vague vocal elements that resemble a distant frequency from the outer reaches of space — murmuring within emergent, slow-burning textures. Full of both gripping atmospherics and strong melodic mystique, Sugar is a fantastic album from Jomoon.
