Vinyl Moon is a record club that produces monthly "mixtapes" pressed to fun colored vinyl. They tend to feature up and coming bands that you may have not heard so it's a great way to discover new music! I grew up making and receiving legitimate cassettes for/from friends and crushes in the '90s and early '00s so this whole idea really speaks to me since I'm also an avid record collector. While I still beg for friends to now make me Spotify playlists, they don't always pull through and I don't get to hear as much new music as I'd like. Very excited to get into this month's volume!
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Vinyl Moon
The Subscription Box: Vinyl Moon
The Cost: $30 per month to the US (including shipping)
The Products: A themed and exclusively pressed vinyl mixtape record!
Ships: Worldwide
Good to Know: Remaining stock is available later as a one-time purchase in their shop if you missed out!
Vinyl Moon Volume 045 "Imaginary Windows" Review
Around the time of receiving your vinyl, you'll also be emailed a digital copy of the mixtape to take on-the-go so you can listen even when not near a turntable. It's also available on Spotify here!
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There's a booklet of liner notes that begins with an interesting story from Vinyl Moon founder, Brandon. Each page has a short bio of each band featured. This month showcases 10 up and coming bands like Yank Scally, Andrew Applepie, Bronze Whale, Birch, Bastien Keb, Van Common, Attica Riots, Kita Menari, Love in October, and Bill Nickson. You'll also find a bio on the Mexico-based featured artist, Daniel Barreto, who does all of the art for this month's release.
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Volume 045 of Vinyl Moon is entitled "Imaginary Windows" and when you open the tri-gatefold record jacket you'll see how they have cleverly incorporated that theme into the design. In the center, there's a little window frame that contains two prints from Daniel Barreto.
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The two prints are both double-sided so that you can either leave them in the record jacket and switch them around as you see fit, or even hang them as art. Each one uses vibrant colors with yellows, pinks, blues, reds, greens, and purples. They're graphic-heavy and use different shapes to create dreamy landscapes that match Brandon's story from the booklet.
If you've been an active member for 12 months, you'll automatically become a VIP which entitles you to an exclusive color of vinyl. This month's variant is a pink swirl that really pops!
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Side A of this month's compilation kicks off with a murky yet foot-tapping electronic offering from Yank Scally and glides into the lighter "Sun Go Down" by Andrew Applepie with breathy lyrics. As you move on through the grooves of the record, you're met with more dreamy indie pop that would make great music for a cafe to drown out people typing away on their laptops while still allowing you to carry on a conversation. It's not aggressive or whelming and you can tell that all of the artists are just here to have a good time. Throughout the rest of the album, you'll find slow to medium tempos that use drum machines and other electronic elements to get a groove across without causing an all-out dance party to erupt. Just some gentle swaying is in order here.
Verdict: Vinyl Moon has perfected the art of the modern playlist with help from a classic format. They have once again delivered fresh music from the depths of the internet and found a great artist to back it up.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, but a different variant of this one is available in their shop as a one-time purchase. You can also listen sans record to their digital playlist on Spotify if you're so inclined.
Check all of our Vinyl Moon reviews and find more Vinyl Subscription Boxes in our directory.
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