The newest release from synth pioneer Lisa Bella Donna sees her paying tribute to another pioneer, Bob Moog. Lisa Bella Donna pays tribute by making an album of exquisite sonic tastes; a record created with the Moog at the heart of it. Moogmentum is a sonic journey that only requires an open mind and open ears. It is both a tribute to a titan of electronic music and a singular artistic statement that makes one thing clear: Moog is life.
Over the course of 11 tracks, Moogmentum builds song by song. It’s an epic journey which carries the listener into unknown sonic territory. Of course the Moog is a singular instrument, but each artist(if they are indeed a true artist) make that sonic landscape their own.
Moogmentum, besides being a gorgeous Moog-heavy record with journey songs and dense sonic exploration, is also a fundraiser for the The Bob Moog Foundation on its 15th anniversary. According to record label Behind The Sky, “the music on ‘Moogmentum’ carries forward a legacy of exceptional beauty and craftsmanship and speaks to the timeless elegance and possibilities of Moog instruments. Dynamic, emotional, and filmic, this album further establishes Lisa Bella Donna as one of the living masters of synthesis.”
And although Lisa Bella Donna never got the opportunity to meet Bob Moog, she feels a real connection to the man behind the synthesizer that changed music, and her own life. “”This record is a very special dedication to the life & work of Robert A. Moog. I wanted to tell a story coming from a musician who never had the privilege and pleasure to meet and speak with Bob personally. Rather a story from someone who started on Moog synthesizers very young, about all of the doors it opened in my music and the way I looked at sound afterward.”
Musically Moogmentum feels like stepping off the craft and onto alien land. It’s an epic album that locks into the early days of the Moog and those far out, expansive pieces of music that were made with the extraordinary instrument. “Onward To A Dream” grabs the listener and puts them in another time and place. “Audio-Visions”, bubbling with analog effervescence, feels like traveling through space and time. Centuries and worlds passing by the window as you are showered by stars and galaxies. This locks into both classic Komische and Berlin School of the early 70s, as well as music you would’ve heard on NOVA on PBS.
The gorgeous “Prologue” opens this set of songs. There’s a dramatic swell to this piece that feels like opening your eyes to the reality of your surroundings for the first time. And shorter works like “Ecliptic”, “Initiation”, and “Remember, I Love You” go a long way to prove that Lisa Bella Donna is an absolute master of the craft of electronic synthesis. Composer, musician, artist, and explorer of sonic realms, Lisa Bella Donna is an innovator and world builder.
Moogmentum is another stunning work of absolute sonic beauty by Lisa Bella Donna. As well as being a fantastic music journey, it’s a tribute to one of the great innovators of the 20th century.
8.3 out of 10
‘Moogmentum’ is available now digitally and on limited edition CD via Behind The Sky. Buy it here.
Complex Distractions 
That is simultaneously 70s, 80s and now. Man, that’s two in a row I’ve heard on your site today that span decades.
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I have listened to this for the best part of the day, driving, sitting, walking, wow, and I will say it again wow, thanks for bringing this to me.
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So glad to hear this. It’s an amazing album.
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