Comeback single Man On The Moon is a powerful slice of psychedelic folk.

 

Comeback singles are always difficult. When an artist takes a break, there’s often an unrealistically high demand from fans for something special when the artist returns. For Zella Day, who has been on an extended radio silence since she dropped her debut album last year, this something special is delivered in the form of new single Man On The Moon.

Blending together typical pop sounds with psychedelic elements and folk-ish textures, the track is an unlikely success as Day channels the spirit of indie-rockers Dog Is Dead in an unconventional medium. It’s magic lies in its complexity: at its core, it’s really a very simple and average song with straightforward instrumentation. It is the use of musical flourishes, such as brass horn stabs and an oddly-Pikachunes use of backing vocals, that make this song so striking – it’s packed with variety on top of a reliably stable musical base.

As comeback singles go, this leaves absolutely nothing to be desired. If the hallmarks of a fan favourite are a big chorus, a celebratory vibe and room to immerse yourself – either vocally or physically – into it, then Zella Day has the formula all figured out.