Born in the Netherlands and now based in Italy, Samuele Pozzi — known as Mr.MoonBunny — draws on seventeen years of experience as a conservatory-trained clarinetist and music educator. His latest track, “I Neon di Shibuya,” serves as an antidote to “fast-consumption” digital noise, emphasizing an “imperfect groove” inspired by the legacies of J Dilla and Nujabes. Hi-fi acoustic recordings of bass and saxophone combine with the lo-fi steadiness of vintage drum machines for an absorbing overall sound.
Head-nodding rhythms, twangy guitars, and vintage hip-hop scratches assemble for a stylish intrigue to start, then maneuvering into a smoothly absorbing vocal presence. The debonair vocals, referencing “rhythm and blues,” expand in vibrancy and touches of brass incorporate seamlessly alongside chilled-out piano work. The vocals then alternate between a sort of spoken-word suaveness and expressive soulfulness, finding enjoyable spaciousness in the blissful array of brass, hypnotic rhythms, and hazy guitar licks.
“Open your eyes,” a lush vocal presence lets out, encouraging to “breathe” with meditative allure. Tender guitar tones build into lovely brass flourishes, before the vocals re-emerge for another delectably melodic sequence. The track’s final minute dazzles with elements of what came before — embedding intoxicating vocals, grooving rhythms, mellow keys, and touches of brass for a wholly satiating send-off. “I Neon di Shibuya” is an utterly engrossing listening experience from Mr.MoonBunny, who achieves a timeless-sounding, grooving allure.
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
