On her previous record,
The Order of Time,
Valerie June created an ethereal space where her thoughts and philosophies mingled in a poetic tangle of earthy dream-folk and windblown soul. Based in Brooklyn but hailing from Memphis,
June's music rose out of a tapestry of American roots traditions that she has since elevated and, in the case of 2021's
The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers, transcended. Ambling with guitar in hand down creative paths less taken, she and co-producer
Jack Splash (
Kendrick Lamar,
Alicia Keys) have captured a rare gem of heartfelt expression and sweet liminality. Like a modern-day
Astral Weeks,
The Moon and Stars filters the familiar and organic through a celestial veil with
June serving as medium between the spiritual and corporeal worlds. In the creak and lull of her entrancing vocals, she nimbly threads the spaces between joy, wonder, and longing on airy highlights like "Stay," "You and I," and "Fallin'." Even in the more substantive arrangements of songs like the brass-driven "Stardust Scattering" or the
Carla Thomas-assisted soul romp "Call Me a Fool," there's a gossamer elegance mixed with the heady thrill of experimentation. Almost conceptual in format, short interstitial tracks connect longer ones with trilling flutes, chimes, and ornate chamber-pop string sections woven throughout the LP. Despite its loose infatuation with late-'60s psychedelia, occasional dalliances with modern electronic sounds, and myriad of other sonic touchstones, its essence remains timeless and pliable. Even better,
June's knack for textural ambience is always at the service of her lovingly crafted songwriting. A standout among her already impressive catalog,
The Moon and Stars is utterly beguiling with a luster that only deepens with repeated spins. ~ Timothy Monger