New Music: moonvine – tea party

Berlin-based sibling duo moonvine get leftfield, if not downright cheeky, on the playful electronic club pop of tea party.

Yes, they give us club music, but of a kind that is far from Berlin’s famous techno scene. Instead, the duo takes us on an Alice in Wonderland trip through gritty electroclash, and what could easily have been hyperpop were it not for the seemingly effortless poise of production’s lo-fi club kicks, bass-led indie dance and late-night, studied and understated vibes of the two vocal performances. Here, and on the EP, there are no indicators that moonvine are overtly trying to be cool or counter-cultural. Their music does the talking for them, and boy, is it persuasive.

Over its six tracks, tea party sees their shared protagonist head for escapism and hedonism, but the past – and reality – soon reappear, and decisions need to be made. It’s a clever concept, thought-provoking, but it never distracts from the enjoyment of each song.

The tea party EP was released on the 11th of November on French label Headroom Records and is streaming on Spotify. It’s also available to download on Bandcamp; head to moonvine’s Instagram for other listening options.