British rock band’s latest album contains soulful songs about life's struggles, but it’s missing the X-factor
COLDPLAY’s tenth studio album, Moon Music (also known as Music of the Spheres Vol. II: Moon Music), musically explores the stages of life and explores emotions such as darkness, love, and self-discovery. trying to overcome the emotional roller coaster.
Released on October 4th, Moon Music continues the Music of the Spheres series from Volume 1. I: From Earth with Love ended in 2021. Despite the promising tracks, the album straddles the line between profound and predictable, leaving listeners wondering if it’s hit or miss.
Funk and electronic influences
Coldplay has always been known for their ability to transcend genres, and Moon Music is no exception. The album blends pop-rock with funk, Afrobeats, and electronic music influences, and features guest artists such as John Hopkins, Burna Boy, Little Simz, Elianna, Tini, and Ira Starr.
Production stalwarts like Max Martin and Bill Larko contribute to the polished sound, ensuring the album is a delight to the ears. But the glossy works also reveal a more relaxed approach that sometimes veers into the general realm. There are moments on the album where it feels too polished, diluting Coldplay’s signature sound, which usually evokes epic, emotional highs.
As frontman Chris Martin explains, Moon Music is a concept album about the transition from darkness to light. It’s the musical equivalent of waking up feeling like the world is against you and ending the day with a sense of connection and warmth.
Thematically, the album addresses emotional turmoil, healing, and finding love and balance in a chaotic world. However, despite the deep subject matter, some songs feel lyrically superficial and lack the poetic nuance that Coldplay fans have come to expect.
Album highlights
The album starts strong with the title track “Moon Music” featuring Hopkins. It’s a divine introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the album. The rich instrumentation and Martin’s unmistakable voice immediately grab your attention.
But it’s lead single “feelslikeimfallinginlove” that truly shines. A vibrant mix of pop-rock energy and electronic beats, the song has a catchy melody and relatable lyrics about the frailty of love. Fun, light and quintessentially Coldplay, it strikes the right balance between accessibility and authenticity.
Second single “We Pray” featuring Sims, Boy, Elianna and Tini is also a standout. Afrobeat-inspired rhythms bring freshness, and this collaboration brings diversity to both sound and lyrical approach.
But as strong as the message of resilience and hope is, the track occasionally suffers from vocal overload, with each guest artist trying to make their own mark. The song itself is great, but a tighter arrangement would have been nice.
“All My Love,” released alongside the album, hits a true emotional note. It’s a tender love ballad filled with sweeping strings and warm vocals that encapsulate the album’s overarching theme of unconditional love.
The song has a classic Coldplay feel, a simple vibe that makes it both intimate and universal. Still, even in its charm, I can’t help but feel it lacks the grandeur of past ballads like “Fix You” and “The Scientist.”
The danger of becoming formulaic
Although Moon Music offers some beautiful moments, there is a certain predictability that remains throughout the album. Songs like “Good Feelings” (featuring Starr) and “Jupiter” tread on familiar ground, echoing Coldplay’s early work.
The melody is fun, but it doesn’t break any new ground. This album seems to be playing it safe, sticking to a tried-and-true formula, not taking any risks that could end up being more than just a Coldplay album.
Sometimes a relaxed atmosphere works well, like IAAM from the EA Sports FC 25 soundtrack. The uplifting lyrics and vibrant energy give it an anthemic feel, perfect for both stadiums and playlists.
But other tracks like Alien Hits/Alien Radio and Aeterna fall into the trap of being too atmospheric without a strong hook to draw the listener in. It’s not that these songs are bad – far from it, they just feel like background music. , is fun, but lacks Coldplay’s signature magic that usually captivates listeners.
There’s no doubt that Moon Music is a solid addition to Coldplay’s discography, but it feels like it’s missing something, a certain boldness and emotional intensity of their best albums. It’s an easy album to listen to, but it’s the type of album that doesn’t necessarily require repeated listens.
The music is pleasant and the lyrics have good meaning, but at times it all feels a little too laid back and a little too content with being mundane.
For long-time fans, Moon Music may be a comfortable listen with enough familiar elements, but for those looking for something more innovative or moving, it may disappoint . The album successfully explores themes of love, pain, and personal growth, but never quite reaches the emotional heights of Coldplay’s earlier work.
Fun but not required
At the end of the day, Moon Music is an album about life and trying to overcome the dark side that consumes us all. There are moments of brilliance, but if you’re looking for the Coldplay that rocked the world with “A Rush of Blood to the Head” and “Viva la Vida,” this may feel a little too low-key.
The songs are good, and some are great, but this album feels like it’s holding it back, waiting for more brilliance to propel it into greatness. Whether it’s a hit or a miss depends largely on what the listener wants: something comfortable and familiar, or something bold and deep.