Formed in 2007, Swedish Rock outfit The Night Flight Orchestra began as an experiment to reclaim the ’70s and’ 80s classic and Arena Rock sound in the modern age. Started by artists who love music and wanted to give the essence of music from those eras a new life in the new millennium. The band is composed of musicians from different musical backgrounds and experiences who each bring their personal touches to the overall sound.
The Night Flight Orchestra is Björn Strid (vocals), Sharlee D’Angelo (bass), Jonas Källsbäck (drums), Sebastian Forslund (guitar, percussions), John Lönnmyr (keys), Rasmus Ehrnborn (guitar), Anna Brygård (backing vocals), and Åsa Lundman (backing vocals). Now, the band is preparing to release their seventh studio album, Give Us The Moon, which also acts as their Napalm Records debut, and with it, they prepare to take listeners on a new journey- this time to the star and beyond. Give Us The Moon releases January 31, 2025, through Napalm Records.
The album opens with a “Final Call (Intro),” which is quite literally a final boarding call before the kick of this celestial nostalgia trip the listeners are preparing to embark on. This rolls right into “Stratus,” which has an effervescent, uplifting quality. There is something inherently enticing and refreshing about orchestration on this track, and Strid’s vocals enhance this quality. “Shooting Velvet” kicks off with a catchy uptempo and bouncy quality. There is a nostalgic quality to this track and the whole album that hearkens back to the ’80s in a cozy and familiar way. “Like The Beating of a Heart” brings to mind the brand of intriguing rhythms and synths of such ’80s mega-hits like Pat Benatar’s “Love Is A Battlefield.” It is attention-getting, dramatic, and a sonic journey all its own. The harmonies in the chorus create a fullness that is so sonically pleasing and scratches just the right part of your brain.
Then “Melbourne, May I?” is a driving track that picks up the pace and demonstrates the band’s ability to explore characteristics of Arena Rock and its ability to sweep a crowd. The energy is contagious. “Miraculous” opens with a poppier beat featuring prominent snare snaps and a chord progression in pre-choruses that is reminiscent of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” It then develops more synthesized elements and a beautiful guitar solo in the bridge that adds a heartening levity to the track.
Coming in with a more frenzied pace is “Cosmic Tide.” This one rushes at you with a sense of urgency and a note of longing. It gives listeners a journey through space and time on a quest of cosmic adventure and exploration. It is expansive and sweeping, and Strid’s vocals crescendo into the bridge, which is then alight with synths and keys. The title track, “Give Us The Moon,” blends elements of ethereal ballads with upbeat, mid-tempo beats to create an interesting semi-anthemic call to action. Closing out the album is the nearly 8-minute opus “Stewardess, Empress, Hot Mess (and the Captain of Pain).”
If there is one thing The Night Flight Orchestra does well, it is create an experience in each album. Their ability to develop a story and create an atmosphere with each release is enthralling and impressive. Even if you are not the biggest fan of the 80s nostalgia that influences their style, its presence and familiarity are unmistakable. The style, the drama, and the power of that era are fun and carefree in a way that contrasts so much of modern music’s tendency to take itself too seriously.
This is not to say The Night Flight Orchestra does not take their work seriously, but it is apparent that they are having a good time with the structure of their composition and the elements they layer into each track. This is a labor of love and excitement. The ability to create something vintage and cosmic yet employing modern techniques is what separates them from their contemporaries.
So, for giving the world a uniquely sonic trip through the cosmos, Cryptic Rock gives The Night Flight Orchestra’s Give Us The Moon 4 out of 5 stars.
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