numün is a supergroup of sorts - a collective sharing an interest in capturing the sonic textures of interplanetary travel. On their conceptual piece voyage au soleil (translating to "trip to the sun"), Bob Holmes (of SUSS), Chris Romero, and Joel Mellin (a former NASA satellite engineer), combine their backgrounds in ambient country, Gamelan music, and electronic composition to soundtrack a space western episode, meandering through dark expanses, reaching towards the sun.
Space is portrayed both as indescribably beautiful and crushingly frightening, often at once. On voyage au soleil, Homes, Romero, and Mellin float in and out of both moods. Opening track, tranceport, feels like a curious space walk, with Eno ambiance lifting into a bouncing rhythm. tranquility base continues the warm exploratory vibe, weaving in vintage samples - voices describing the awe-inspiring nature of space. The latter half of the same track would not be out of place if plugged right into side A of Dark Side of the Moon. But then mission loss opens with blaring alarm - a reminder that danger is ever present when one dares to venture far away from the safety of Earth. When listening to the closing (and title) track, one almost expects Patrick Stewart to begin his signature TNG voice-over, but instead, Romero's banjo plucks come in - an example of numün's musical imagination. voyage au soleil is an epic journey in which each member brings his own creative stylings, combining to make a piece of music unlike much else out there. It is released this Friday, September 4th, through Musique Impossible, and preview a track below.