LUNO (band)

LUNO is a Czech band that combines several musical genres. The band calls its music psycho pop, though strong rock influences are traceable in LUNO´s music. The band was founded in 2009 and consists of:

Ema Brabcová (Dietrichová)
Martin Chmátal (Šmity)
Jan Janečka
Martyn Starý (Marty)

History

LUNO´s most significant feature is the voice of the Czech singer Ema Brabcová who, in the past, sang in other Czech bands Roe-Deer (here she met Šmity) and Khoiba. With Khoiba she supported The Cure in Berlin. Šmity has for more than 17 years been part of the Czech music scene – he co-founded Roe-Deer and played in another successful Czech band The Protitutes.^[1] Originally it was Mejla Kukulský (Vypsaná fixa) who was to be drafted as the guitarist, however, due to lack of time he had to refuse. He was substituted by Marty Starý (also Holden Caulfield). Honza Janečka, well-known Czech drummer (formerly for Southpaw), was from the outset picked as the most suitable one for LUNO. He has collaborated, among others, with Glen Hansard, James Harris and the Czech band Republic Of Two.

LUNO´s eponymous debut^[2] was released on Christmas 2010 and the release-concert took place in Prague on 18 January 2010. The debut´s single video Close To Violence reached 3000 hits during the first week. The web music magazine described it as follows:

„The album´s breathtaking diversity is its golden thread. Starting off with Ema´s haunting voice, “Chanteys” soon collapses into a mayhem only to be finished by a self-assured solo for drums and base guitar. What follows is “Pekorino” - a ritual synchronization of drums and vocals that soon turns into what resembles a wild hungry beast that is bound to gobble you up: it is precisely the contrast of the quiet parts and the throbbing explorations of eccentric drums and guitar (“Birdie num num”) that makes LUNO´s music so appealing while retaining its bleakness. The synthesizer is being used randomly but when it is played it´s conducive to the haunting atmosphere of the music, as well as are the lyrics. “Close To Violence” is a seemingly peaceful ode based on Ema´s mellow vocals. Careful inspection leaves no doubt as to what the song actually refers to. “Close To Violence” is also near to where the album reaches its imaginary peak – the following song, “Here To Be Not There”, is a light-hearted affair and a meditation on the evanescence of being. It grants one a deserved break before going deeper with “Part of a Treason” and “Blind” that finishes off in the best fashion of early 90´s Nirvana´s song structure experiments.”

In January 2012 the debut was chosen by the web music magazine Musicserver as the 9th best Czech album of 2011.^[3]

EP LITATO, the more light-hearted follow-up, was released in 2011.^[4]

Since its formation LUNO has played more than 40 concerts and many festivals. Among the most important ones are the biggest Czech festival Colours of Ostrava (2011), Slovak Pohoda and Grape Festivals (2011) and the German Wave Gottik Treffen.

All albums were released in Germany by PALE music.

Discography

LUNO albums (in chronological order):

• LUNO (2010)
• LITATO (EP, 2011)
• ZEROTH (2012)

External links

• Official band website

References