By releasing just three albums over a fourteen year span, you could definitely say that Dotsun Moon’s work is an exercise in quality over quantity. The one man band’s third long player,‘Tiger’, comes almost a decade after ‘A Swan’s Song’, but it’s a release that was definitely worth waiting for.

The opening number, ‘Bring Love’, shares a sound that’s a defiant throwback to the late 80s/early 90s, working a swirling guitar part that presents itself like something modelled on My Bloody Valentine but with some actual melody applied. That would be enough alone to reel in a section of the shoegaze demographic, while a hazy vocal that’s more attuned to the indie set weaves a melodic sound between the layered backdrop. It takes all of a verse to sound like a piece of retro magic, with a semi-deep vocal contrasted by a brighter sounding guitar, whilst a simple keyboard drone fleshes out an already great sound. There are moments here that sound like a soundclash between ‘A Bell Is A Cup’ era Wire and Ride; others that venture a little deeper into classic shoegaze, but which ever way genre fans approach this track, they’re certainly going to discover an aural treat, especially when a really warm bass sound is used to fuse everything together. In a little over three minutes, Dotsun Moon achieves the kind of experience that most similar outfits would only manage in almost double that time, which certainly sets ‘Tiger’ off with its best foot forward.

A little busier, focusing a lot more on the marriage between the bass and drums, ‘Save Us’ shares echoes of early New Order (but without the electronic elements). The thrusting rhythm allows for some great lead bass, whilst a strong dream pop infused guitar brings a much lighter melody as contrast. Richard Flierl utilises a hushed and slightly filtered vocal throughout, which works nicely in tandem with the energised and rhythmic edge. Presenting a great balance between punchiness and melody, this is peak Dotsun Moon, and even if the end results sound like a great throwback to the mid eighties rather than something completely new, its execution is perfect. ‘Give Up The Tears’ maintains an equally retro tone, but there’s something about the track’s slightly simpler approach that makes it feel a touch more contemporary at the time of release, sounding a little more like a couple of the indie scene’s neo-shoegazers, but fans of fuzzy, slightly hazy guitar driven sounds will still find plenty to enjoy. Against a mid tempo, Flierl wheels out another filtered vocal, immediately capturing the otherworldly edge that makes the best Dotsun Moon material sparkle, but if anything sticks here, it’s the Robin Guthrie infused guitar tones that chime triumphantly throughout, capturing a great retro sound that sounds great in the present.

‘Never Had A Heart’, meanwhile, is another track that revels in a sound that’s rooted very much in the late 80s. The mechanised rhythms tip the hat to classic Sisters of Mercy fare – albeit without Jim Steinman’s overblown production; an upfront bass echoes the best of David Jay and Simon Gallup, and a semi-cold vocal accentuates the brilliant goth-pop feel. Granted, its another track that’s formed from a world of very familiar ingredients, but if you’re going to borrow, then you should borrow from the best! With a strong chorus hook and an equally strong coda where synth sounds rise above the bass and drum heavy groove, it’s a number that ends as confidently as it begins. Despite being a new track for 2025, this love letter to a goth-y past sounds like the ultimate in unearthed musical treasure. It mightn’t be quite as immediate as ‘Give Up The Tears’, but it’s definitely one of the album’s stand out cuts.

As strongly suggested by the title ‘Piano Trailer #4’ provides a moment of reflection with a short piano piece that blends the moods of Craig Armstrong’s soundtrack work with the quieter elements of Robin Guthrie’s instrumental EPs from 2024. ‘Army of Me’, meanwhile, drops the listener into a world of dark indie sounds. The shoegaze guitars take a little more of a back seat, allowing more of a ‘Disintegration’ era Cure sound to take centre stage, along with light influence from The National. As you might expect, Flierl appears just as musically adept when approaching this slightly more introspective sound. A slightly crooned vocal sounds superb set against a flowing piano, whilst arcs of guitar flesh out a great melody. More about mood than immediacy, this is a track that sounds better over time, and one that fans of Keeley (and her self-proclaimed) “Keeley Sound” should check out. With an atmospheric lead guitar break introducing an even more haunting melody, there’s a lot of greatness packed into this track. ‘Moments In The Sun’ is on hand with a slightly more indie tinged workout and a buoyant rhythm which quickly lifts the spirits, ensuring any slight disappointment is short-lived. You won’t find any huge surprises here, just more of Dotsun Moon’s best traits; between a pinch of light goth, a very early 90s 4AD vibe and a soaring guitar line that contrasts a fey vocal, everything that’s now familiar sounds superb. ‘Winter Street’ reinstates the soundtrack-like piano to share a strong descending melody, whilst a marriage of dream pop guitar and deep bass work together to create something rather maudlin. With extra echo applied to the vocal and a drum sound that belies the DIY approach favoured by the performer, there are moments of this final piece that feel a little more demo-like. That never makes it feel in any way cheap, however: a strong lead guitar fusing shoegaze tones and prog-ish moods is powerful enough to sell a superb melody, and a subtle piano filling the bulk of the track moves on from its original melody to create something with a touch of the late Rick Wright at its heart. Of all of the tracks here, this one’s a definite slow burner, but when the disc stops spinning, it leaves the listener in a suitably reflective mood. What’s more, the album length is such, that hitting the repeat button immediately will not lead to any kind of listener burnout.

Partly fixed upon a classic and rather nostalgic quality and partly attuned to guitar based rock that still sounds great in the present, Dotsun Moon stands to win over a lot of indie fans with this release. At just twenty six minutes long, ‘Tiger’ is on the short side, but it’s enjoyable from end to end. Its more immediate sounds sparkle with a knowing quality; its deeper cuts give the listener plenty in which they can wallow, to glean a huge amount of musical enjoyment. At the time of release, it’s a strong reminder of how there are so many more interesting things than an overhyped Oasis reunion to entertain a middle aged ear… A recommended listen.

July 2025

July 2025