Kiss From a Siren
14 November 2025
Brighton may possibly be over saturated with music, and it can sometimes be hard for a band to shine through a cloud so impenetrable, however, my introduction to ‘Trip-Hop’ wizards Moon Idle left me with a feeling I’ve experienced only a few times before.
Having followed them from their first single, ‘Moments’, I wanted… I needed to know more. Their mystique fascinated me, the melancholy twinkle of guitarist Jasper, the subtle yet powerful bass runs of Martin, Drummer Felix’s expressive snare patterns and of course, Quilla, a singer who I can only describe as hauntingly ethereal. Her voice is akin to that of Mazzy Star, though I feel any comparison is reductive to what Quilla manages to achieve as Moon Idle’s vocalist. Every aspect of Moon Idle’s sonic presence is undeniably special, and their debut EP is possibly the strongest body of work to come out of Brighton this year.
‘Kindly’ is a dynamic five track composition that is (in the words of guitarist Jasper) “Melancholy but hopeful.” I had the chance to sit down with the band to discuss the EP and their progress throughout 2023 where we spoke for nearly an hour about their astounding passion for music. For a band that to me felt like the kid in the corner of the party that remains silently cool (the quiet Beatle / George Harrison effect) they were delightful and genuine. Music is important, but when a band is truly themselves and undoubtedly kind it adds a whole other layer of enjoyment when it comes to their music.
Speaking on behalf of their aesthetic, Moon Idle seemed unconcerned with anything other than their music. Their visual aesthetic is sparse with dark blues, purples and colour pallet that I assumed was meticulously planned, and yet when I asked them about this, their response was immediately tied to the tracks – “I think the aesthetic naturally comes from what we think our music would look like”- Jasper. I was dumbfounded with their attitude towards their ‘look’, amazed by how nonchalant they were – “Sometimes you’ve got to start from a feeling – not to look through a spreadsheet of other artists’ visual style – to start fresh, to feel it” – Jasper. With the cliché of musicians spending more time on their ‘look’ than their music, this was nowhere to be seen with this band. If you’re looking for music that is no nonsense, then you have come to the right place.
Moon Idle have come a long way since their first single – the ‘Kindly’ EP speaks volumes on their musical maturity and development, my personal favourite being ‘Groundhog’, a track littered with tasteful chords and a chorus so cathartic I walk away from it feeling uplifted every time. Again, this is something that surprises me about Moon Idle. For a band that treads into the bounds of the moody 90s aesthetic, their music doesn’t leave you feeling dower. This same idea can be found dotted around the EP, especially in the opening track ‘The Avenue’ – “I wrote it to tell myself everything will be okay” – Quilla – “It seems to have worked as someone said recently that they love how comforting the song is.”
Considering how intricate their music is to the ear, I pressed them on their writing process. Yet again, the way this band functions as writers was fascinating and more anything else, fun and casual. From writing lyrics together in the pub to recording demos and sometimes release ready tracks in their basement, Moon Idle never spend a moment not enjoying themselves. The band’s dynamic feels fresh and exciting, which I feel translates directly into the music. “The songs are all fairly melancholy… though recently, I think we’ve become more colourful” – Jasper. This I wholeheartedly agree with, each track being as visually stimulating as the next. Jasper spoke briefly about his desire for one particular track to appear as a “rainy night-time metropolis car ride vibe” to which “Quilla come down and said ‘wow this a really rainy night time car ride song’ and I was like – yes, f**king nailed it.” Moon Idle have fun with their music, which is clear and evident, it make listeners like myself enjoy it even more.
When I pressed about the way Moon Idle approach their percussion and drumming, bassist Martin was quick to herald Felix as a one-take-wonder – “In terms of recording, Felix just does it in one. It’s just great.” On hearing this, I needed to know more. I contacted Felix directly who mentioned some key influences; Yussef Dayes, a modern Jazz drummer who plays complex grooves at fast tempos – and Sam Doyle (who will be most notably known as the drummer of the Maccabees) where Felix draws inspiration from his “subtle approach to drumming” focusing on “performing fills that don’t distract from the melody or harmony.”
As I approached the end of the interview, there was one more topic I wanted to address, to which Quilla was very confident in answering. In an industry so dominated by male musicians, there are few guitar based bands that have a female presence. With this in mind, I was curious to see what Quilla had to say on the matter. She spoke briefly about her past experiences prior to Moon Idle- “In previous bands, I felt as though I might not be taken as seriously as other musicians, it often left me being overlooked – I felt that people saw me as just a female musician and not someone with genuine musical knowledge and ability – In this band I don’t feel like that, I don’t feel less than anyone, it’s all about music.” Quilla’s words were painful and yet inspiring. It is yet another example of Moon Idle’s desire to put all of their focus into the music they create together. Quilla also approached my question from a different angle, that, despite her apparent lack of interest in pointing a spotlight on the role of gender in Moon Idle, “it is still empowering in a way having a female front who is assertive – I can be myself and have confidence in myself and what I can do. It’s hard to be a woman, but it depends on the people you surround yourself with. In Brighton, people are so accepting.” I opened this question out to the rest of the band who all agreed with both sides of Quilla’s response. That Moon Idle is concerned with the issues women face in the industry without letting these issues become the face of their music – “for all of us, it is about the music. However, it is important consider the dynamic a female perspective adds to our lyrical content – and it is really nice to have a woman representing a band with our kind of music, I don’t know if you get it a lot nowadays – It adds an element you don’t get with a band of all guys – those bands sometimes don’t have a lot of balance.”
Moon Idle are, without a doubt, some of the most interesting and kind-hearted musicians I have met whilst living in Brighton, the clue is in the title of their debut EP which is currently available on all streaming platforms.