Words by Nathan Hallam
Luna Shadows is an artist who blends melancholy with the upbeat to create something truly beautiful. In her own words, “When side by side, the brights get brighter, and the dark gets darker” and nowhere is this more apparent than in her latest single ‘gutspill’.
“I think ultimately that is what it means to be human - to have contradictory emotions and to have to decide what to do with them.” - Luna
Luna mixes mid-west emo style guitars with her airy vocals and skilful electronic production to create a sound that is as pleasurable to listen to as it is deep. In ‘gutspill’, she pairs an “upbeat and playful” sound with more sombre lyricism to create a juxtaposition that works perfectly. “If you were to just read some of the lyrics such as “I got a feeling, think I better bury it” or “better turn around, I’m out”, they are quite pessimistic and coming from a place of hesitance - but the track itself brings this other layer of “maybe,” of fun, of hopefulness and confidence.”
The title of the track reflects this idea well, as the more visceral name alludes to the more melancholic undertones of the track.
“I wrote the word “gutspill” in my notes app a few years ago - it was a noun I made up just from reversing the phrase “spill your guts” that I just thought was cool. I like titles with made-up words, like “Wonderwall,” and I thought this was a cool concept.”
Music has been “one of the most important things” in Luna’s life since her childhood, and her passion for the art is evident through the quality of her production. Her layered vocals pair synergistically with the pop-punk backing instrumental, further enhancing the song’s intense focus on contrast that defines her artistic style. “I felt the gravitational pull of music at a very young age - I was always drawn to it in a very intense way.”
She describes herself as a “perfectionist” who “could go on editing forever”, and this attention to detail is clear in the quality of her work.
Music is a deeply personal part of Luna’s life, and the future holds exciting prospects for her; however, she is keen to highlight the importance of life outside of her music and her genuine love for music as artistic expression is part of what I think makes her so pleasurable to listen to. “My aspiration at the moment is to lead a life in which I am kind to others and get to enjoy myself on the journey a little bit more rather than focusing on the endlessly shifting horizon line.”
Luna Shadow’s is an artist who is as creative as she is talented, and I hope to see the fruits of her passion as they emerge.
“Learning how to write songs gave me a safe place to organise my emotions. I believe that everyone should have a creative outlet of some kind, or multiple if possible.”
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