It’s a great pleasure to make the second PC24 announcement with the awesome band that’s behind what many regard as the best prog album of 2023:

MOON SAFARI (Swe)

It’s makes sense to start this announcement with all the positive attention that the always great Moon Safari have received for “Himlabacken vol 2”. Despite having just a few weeks left of 2023 after the release, the album has gotten a well deserved spot on many best-of-the-year lists in the genre (Prog Magazine, artock.se etc), topping some of them (The Prog Report) and getting top notch reviews (9 and 10/10 at DPRP, 9,3/10 at Sonic Perspectives, 5/5 at Rocknytt). Progrock.com radio listeners voted “A Lifetime to learn how to love” as best prog song, Moon Safari as best comeback band and Himlabacken vol 2 as best album Nordic countries (just above Agusa’s Prima Materia).

The album is a joyful musical ride through lyrical themes of adult life looking back on how things evolved at Himlabacken/Heaven Hills, as a logical follow-up to “Himlabacken vol 1” from 2013 which dealt with childhood and growing up. As always the cleverly used multipart vocal harmonies à la Queen, Beach Boys or ELO are top notch, as well as the musicianship that builds the ambience of the music without taking over too much, making it a solid and slightly harder and darker album than previous MS releases. The 80’ies vibes are clear from the opening synths of the first track “198X (Heaven Hill)” but also in some stellar guitar solos and the overall production.

But sorry, this was supposed to be a Moon Safari announcement, not just me raving on about their latest magnificent album, haha… The band has been around for 20 years since being formed in Skellefteå, with founding members Simon Åkesson (vocals/keyboards), Petter Sandström (vocals/guitar) and Johan Westerlund (bass) still in the band, while further Åkesson brothers Pontus (vocals/guitar) and Sebastian (vocals/keyboards/percussion) joined in 2005 and 2008 respectively and Mikael Israelsson (drums) in 2015.

Early on, the band got a huge fan in Flower Kings’ keyboardist Tomas Bodin, who took the band under his wings and produced the debut album “A Doorway to Summer” (2005). The second release, double album “Blomljud” (2008) established Moon Safari in the prog world for real, and lead to some more awesome releases and prestigious gigs when opening for Yes at Royal Albert Hall in London, opening for Fish, and gigs at Night of the Prog, Rosfest, Gouveia Art Rock, and Cruise to the Edge in 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2022.

We are so excited to finally have Moon Safari at a Progressive Circus event after all requests for it over the years, and look forward to an awesome MS show on Babel’s stage at PC24. See you there!!!

Moon Safari website: http://www.moonsafari.se/

Moon Safari on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moonsafariofficial

Moon Safari on Bandcamp: https://moonsafari.bandcamp.com/

Moon Safari on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Wr0oT0aCD6w7O25TPwnoX

A breathtakingly beautiful “Constant Bloom” live at Royal Albert Hall, London 2016

Video for “Emma, Come on”:

Moon Safari live at The Centrum (Cruise to the Edge 2018):

Moon Safari live at Tsutaya O-West, Tokyo 2017:

Progressive Circus 2024 takes place at Babel, Malmö, September 28-29 and is co-arranged with Babel, with support from Skånsk Live. Get your tickets here: https://www.nortic.se/ticket/event/53624