Sonic atmospheric exploration, aptly inspired by the concept of a Hypothetical Moon – composer and producer Hagai Izenberg takes on the idea of a moon or planet believed to exist, but not directly observed, with this distinct and compelling new album.
Featuring seven original compositions, Hypothetical Moon is a captivating audio journey that immerses its audience, but also consistently provokes fearlessly imaginative thought.
We begin by delving into the complex delicacies of Discovery – a quiet but mysterious realm of detail and implication; gentle fragments and unsettling, impossible to pinpoint nuances, which cleverly present a sense of landing or emerging in some realm or land of the great unknown.
Letting yourself fall into the experimental intricacies of this opening composition is key to experiencing the cinematic nature of Hypothetical Moon. Undistinguishable fragments of sound feel both industrial and other-worldly, as they softly crackle through the space. It’s a profound but unsettling combination of traits, and it leads well into the creatively juxtaposed, natural world and soothing tones of a seemingly water-bound Grotto.
A personal favourite from the album, Grotto is uniquely fascinating – warming yet intriguing, mysterious yet comforting, as it rolls through these feelings and ideas that are no doubt specific for the composer, but completely open to interpretation for each new listener.
Then in stark contrast again, Habitat pierces through the calm, injecting electronic spasms of suddenness, before resolving through a natural woodland of otherworldly life and possibility. As fascinating as ever, and a supremely impressive compositional style from sound artist Hagai Izenberg.
Subterrane impresses again, but opposes all that came before. The fullness is overwhelming, a boldly all-consuming sense of complete immersion in these waves of sound and detail. We’re almost in the womb of some new corner of the universe, surrounded by events, but still and serene as we contemplate the outer edges. The meditative warmth of this track is perfectly well-placed within the album, and highlights yet another side to the pristine and powerful production tools and abilities of Hagai.
We then return to cinematic old-school intrigue somewhat, for the spacious and breath-like, mildly haunting pulsations of Crest, before Zenith brings us face to face with something intimate and unnerving yet quirky; and again delivers a massively unpredictable soundscape from one moment to the next.
Gyrate follows to complete the journey, a pulsating original of meditative comfort again, with hints of familiarity from the beeps and tones of the project’s earlier moments. The composition in this case works its magic more effectively when listened to at volume, through high-quality speakers or headphones. When you do this, you completely submit to the new world of story and sentiment, and what follows is a rather profound, powerful, and deeply stirring audio experience.
Hagai Izenberg has created something unrivalled in its originality and outlandish escapism, and yet even with its experimental core, the music and sounds gifted throughout Hypothetical Moon are consistently enjoyable and rewarding to lean into.
Download Hypothetical Moon.
