By Mia Shea
Staff Writer
The British rock band Coldplay’s 12th and final album, titled “Moon Music,” arrived on Oct. 4. This 10-track record is truly an emotional journey that encapsulates Coldplay’s versatility as a band and left me feeling empowered and in tears.
Lead singer Chris Martin shared on social media that “Moon Music” represents the idea that love is the best response to conflict in life. This is thoroughly reflected in the album, as the lyrics, melody and instrumentals all showcase themes of love.
The record begins with the title track, “MOON MUSIC,” which is solely instrumental for the first nearly 3 minutes of the four-and-a-half-minute song. These first three minutes are hauntingly entrancing, and the instrumentals mirror what it would feel like to travel to the moon. The music then begins to unravel with soft piano and angelic vocals from Martin, expressing the true beauty of the album.
As the record progresses, so does the production. The instrumentals, melody and lyrics become more upbeat but continue to harp on the theme of love. With tracks like “feelslikeimfallinginlove,” “WE PRAY,” “GOOD FEELINGS” and “AETERNA,” the production is heavy with electronic beats and synth sounds. For the most part, the electronic instruments, melody and tempo enhance each song.
The track “WE PRAY” features rapper Little Simz, Nigerian singer Burna Boy, Palestinian-Chilean singer-songwriter Elyanna, and Argentine singer and actress TINI. However, the features severely hindered the quality and cohesion of this track altogether.
Scaling the record back with piano and guitar acoustics is something that Coldplay has proven they can nail right on the head over and over again. Tracks like “JUPiTER” and “ALL MY LOVE” are reminiscent of this versatility and are a testament to how talented of a vocalist Martin is.
The experimental nature of this album is showcased throughout with long spans of instrumentals with little to no vocals. These instrumentals are some of the most emotional minutes on the record. Each song feels as if it is embarking on its own trip to another planet.
The nearly 7-minute closer is titled “ONE WORLD” and was the correct choice to close this album. It opens with soft piano and vocals from Martin, and as the vocals disperse, it introduces a hauntingly beautiful interlude.
Following the interlude, Martin repeats “In the end, it's just love,” expressing the message of this album as a whole. The album concludes with a muffled harmony of “la la la,” enhancing the daydream that this record is.
The album closes with long stretches of instrumentals, just as it began. These instrumentals act almost as a portal, transporting the listener to the moon at the opening and back down to Earth at the conclusion. The structure and track order is extremely meticulous and balanced in style.
With “Moon Music” being their 12th and final album, it is the legacy that Coldplay is departing with. In the end, that legacy is defined by love.
