Idle Moon is a British Columbia based four-piece instrumental band whose songs feature well crafted, soulful grooves that range from the hard hitting to the melancholy. Their debut record Nomad is triumphant and definitive, weaving the listener through a soundscape that tells the story of the birth and death of the planet. Nomad, just like our lives, is at times brusque but also winding and gentle like a slow moving river. Guitar player Leathan Milne says ‘We tried to write and arrange the material so it would fit the mood of the time period we were describing. For example in the opening track ‘The Endless Nothing’ we really wanted to capture the mood of floating out in the endless expanse of space before the universe even existed.”
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hello Idle Moon. What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
I’m not great at choosing things like that about myself. I suppose if I had to pick something then I would say that my strength is surrounding myself with musicians who are better than I am. I am very grateful to play music with so many amazing people, especially in Idle Moon. It’s much easier to sound good when everyone around you already sounds great. They make me a better player and I am very grateful to them.
Who inspired you to make music?
I was lucky to grow up in a family that exposed me to lots of different musical styles and artists. It definitely gave me a huge appreciation for all styles of music. Some of my main influences and musical inspiration when I was growing up ranged from The Beatles to Pantera. Fela Kuti was a major influence on me as I got older. He definitely changed the way that I approach music. Same thing with bands like Menahan Street Band and John Scofield. Currently I’ve been listening to the new Brian Eno/Fred Again record and have been enjoying it greatly.
Your latest release is 'Nomad'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
I’m a big fan of instrumental music and Nomad was born out of wanting to play more of that. I had some specific players in mind to round out the band and I was quite humbled that they all agreed to take up this new challenge with me. The album was recorded in Vancouver BC with our dear friend and audio wizard John Raham at Afterlife Studios. The album was actually recorded pre-pandemic. The idea was to try and create a soundtrack from the beginning of life in the universe all the way up to the destruction of our planet. Only a few months after we finished recording the pandemic hit and Nomad was shelved until now. We’re very happy it’s finally going out in to the world.
Can you shortly describe each of the tracks that are on the album?
Certainly.
The Endless Nothing is a slower track that is a musical description of ‘life before life’. Sort of the universe just floating along and minding its own business as it slowly begins to expand.
Time Keeps Moving was written as a sort of journey through the beginning of life on our planet all the way up until humans started to evolve and become smarter.
In The Long Survival we tried to depict the life of early humans as they struggled to stay alive and fend for themselves throughout the millennia.
Good Living is a quick tune. Only about a minute long. It’s the blissful century or so where technology was making life easier and things were looking pretty good.
Blindly Running Towards the Ocean is sort of the beginning of the end. When natural disasters start to ramp up. When humans are trying to escape and save themselves. When things start to crumble.
Floating in Plastic is about literally floating in an ocean choked with plastic. A slow, blissful feeling that’s oh so wrong.
Death of the Species is pretty self explanatory. Nothing uplifting about this one.
How do you stay up-to-date with the latest musical trends?
I’m not sure that I do. I don’t think that’s my strong suit for better or for worse. Most of the time I’m just trying to do my own thing and explore different artistic pathways with other likeminded people.
What makes you different from others?
I’m probably very different from most people. I’m probably very similar to most people too.
What’s an average day like for you?
I’m a pretty low-key person. I live on a small acreage in the country with my wife and two boys. We love the outdoors. Lots of hiking, canoeing, gardening…that kind of thing. I read lots of books, play lots of music and love to cook.
Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans.
I’m always very humbled when people say they enjoy the music I’m a part of. I feel very touched if my music has affected someone in a positive way. I’m always happy when fans reach out and I always do my best to respond. I’m not the greatest at the internet but I certainly try my best and always really, really appreciate it.
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Meet as many great musicians and artists as you can. The better they are, the better you’ll become. Play with everyone even if you think you’re out of your league. There’s always something to learn. Also, don’t be afraid of constructive criticism. It’s the only way you’ll continue to improve.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m currently writing a new Idle Moon record that hopefully we will start recording next year. I’m also collaborating on some new music with a fantastic DJ from Calgary AB named mikedecline. We’ve been sending stuff back and forth and it’s been a really great experience. It’s not the style of music I usually make so I’ve been learning lots and having fun. Mike is such a wizard. Check him out. We’re hoping to have something out later this year.