Jon Moon | Brighter Day Review

By Elberton Cisnero

Jon Moon, the Berlin-based Reggae artist, is as much a sonic experimenter as he is a guardian of the genre’s roots. Cutting his teeth in the vibrant Berlin music scene, Moon has grown into a self-contained force of creativity: a singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer. Operating out of his own Planet Earth Studios in Berlin, he brings a rare level of artistic control to his projects, all the way from the initial songwriting to the final mixing stages. And if you’ve ever caught one of his live performances, his adept trombone playing adds an extra layer of texture to the rich Reggae stories he weaves.

His latest EP, Brighter Day, encapsulates his multidimensional approach to Reggae music, serving as both a sonic feast and a message-driven work of art. Produced under his own label, Yutman Records, Brighter Day is deeply personal and universally relatable. It’s a project where Moon’s love for Reggae’s traditions and its modern evolutions coalesce, enriched by collaborations and thoughtful production details.

What follows is a detailed review of Brighter Day, which unpacks the EP’s emotional resonance, musical intricacies, and timely themes. Whether he’s confronting current global crises or diving into spiritual meditations, Jon Moon delivers an EP that holds true depth.

Brighter Day had all the recording of the vocals and instruments and the mixing take place at Planet Earth Studios in Berlin, all by the founder of “Yutman Records” himself. Each song stems from a very personal place for the singer, musician, songwriter, and producer. With a piano sound keeping a steady pulse, the music leads to the Reggae feel and Moon’s singing the storyline. All the instruments sound full and are mix to perfection. The vocal harmonies build the melody line. Moon always adds details to his songs that add sonic complexities without distracting from the song. The horn writing adds texture and fills-out spaces of emphasis.

“Economical Crisis” is Moon dealing with the current global situation with the Corona Virus. He reunites with Cape Town-based artist Crosby. Together the two wrote the riddim at the legendary South African “Azania Band” but had to complete the song spatially and temporally separated between Berlin and Cape Town due to the pandemic. This selection has many elements of traditional Reggae with added elements of electronica and hip-hop. Moon and Crosby sound good in this setting and playoff each other’s energy, and their sound combines well.

Brighter Day is a series of songs that stems from a very personal place for Moon. In his music, Moon sings about the Rastafarian spirit, role models like Vaughn Benjamin, and his positive attitude towards life. At the same time, he shares political content paired with spirituality and meditation. Moon dedicated “Messenjah” to the deceased Vaughn Benjamin, aka. Akae Beka. Brighter Day is a Reggae EP with real depth.

Release Date: November 20, 2020

Label : Yutman Records

About the author

Elberton Cisnero

Author