Danish producer and DJ Anders Trentemoller dedicated "Moan" to Laika, the first dog in space, which doesn't exactly explain lines like, "I've been thinking too much about you / See the sunset with no sleep at all." But honestly, "Moan" could be about ducks or rocks or olives or existentialism and it would still be an enchanting song, driven by gently pulsing minor-key rhythms and Ane Trolle's dreamy, despairing vocals.
On most of his own work, Trentemoller manages an atmospheric, slow-paced electronic dub sound. But here, he lightens up the texture a bit. As the song opens, Trolle's whispery, tentative vocals are accompanied by a percolating synth line that fizzes along like so many sinister soda bubbles: a little dark, but still sweet.
Still, there are menacing signs — keyboard squawks that sound like disapproval, eventually morphing into a buzzing instrumental break that turns into what can only be described as techno-reggae. After this, Trolle's final declaration — "I can't get through this at all" — feels less like an idle lament and more like a rough draft for a farewell note you hope you never find.
Listen to yesterday's 'Song of the Day.'
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