BAND YOU NEED TO KNOW: Moonfall

NYC-based trio, Moonfall, is set to take the music world by storm. Made up of Matthew Howl, Mei Moor, and Andrew Chow, Moonfall is as humble as they are eclectic in their sound. Recently signed to Outerloop Records, the alt-rockers know how to do the thing they do best, and to keep it real to themselves. With the release of their EP, Empty Cages, Moonfall is changing the way music sounds. Bending genres and breaking all the “rules,” Moonfall doesn’t feel the pressure to be anything they’re not. 

What’s in a name? For Moonfall, everything. Mei came up with their name, and it came from her love of the moon. “I think we all have similar minds in terms of being in tune with nature. Trying to decide a name, it’s very hard to come up with something that everyone loves. It’s our baby and identity. Moonfall came up because I love the moon, and everyone loved it. It fits with our vibe.” 

Being inspired by a variety of sounds - from Coldplay to One OK Rock, Panic! At The Disco to Imagine Dragons - Moonfall admits, “We listen to a bunch of different styles, so that’s what you get when you compose.” The three of them have various tastes in music and don’t believe in sticking with one distinct sound. For Moonfall, blending and bending genre works in their favor. They admit to just trying to do whatever they want. From the beginning, they have worked to be versatile in what they play and how they play it.

“We play with our guts and hearts, so whatever comes out, that’s it.”

All three members of Moonfall grew up listening to big arena bands that “can bring a lot of people together. And that’s always the idea we’ve had for ourselves, even before we started playing music.” That is their goal and has been since day one. We have to agree with them when they say that they are on the trajectory to make that happen. “We started out knowing where we wanted to be, and right now, we are on that path.” Moonfall states that the recording and music-making process is a journey, and parts of it are interchangeable, but they are always talking those right steps. 

In fact, Coldplay and One OK Rock top their dream tour ticket, if they were to ever be able to make one. “One OK Rock is just the most similar to us. They’re good friends and have that vibe on stage like we do – it’s all very easy going and creative.” They would love to work with Muse and Twenty-One Pilots. They laugh, “Those big arena shows we can be a part of and then see for free every night would be great.” 

When it comes to creating their sound, they take a lot of inspiration from nature. They spend a lot of time in nature, hiking and exploring and just generally being inspired. A lot of their song writing happens when they’re out there, and for them, the writing process mimics a natural progression, like watching a flower go from seed to full bloom. They start with a melody and add all the pieces together. “Our songs kind of just happen. We don’t sit down and just write. It happens as it happens.” Organically, they know what works. Being in tune with nature definitely comes across in their songs as well. Even if it isn’t the content of the song, it’s underlying theme is always going to be natural; it’s always going to come out.

That nod to nature and a natural progression drove the order of tracks on Empty Cage. “We knew what we wanted to be the first and last tracks.” After that was set, like water moving from stream to ocean, the tracks in the order came together just as it ought to. Empty Cage is one of those EPs that can be listened to from start to finish and hear the narrative, the hidden story inside, and it all makes sense. 

Releasing an EP and singles to gain momentum and keep people engaged with them is their plan overall right now, but a full-length album is something they’d like to do in time. It’s this confident understanding of who they are and what they want to be that sets Moonfall apart. Some bands may see a record label as the immediate path to success, but Moonfall understands it’s just another piece to their puzzle to success. Working with Outerloop has been a great fit for the trio.

“They are a very down to earth and accommodating label that is very passionate about what we do. It was an easy process.”

They all worked together to work out the details, and for Moonfall, the fact that it moved smoothly and seamlessly was important to them. “We are primarily a self-contained band, so it wasn’t ever our original intention to release control all the way. Outerloop has been great and very reasonable. We are really happy to be working with them.”

Another unique feature about Moonfall is that they have a very strong bassist in Mei. She doesn’t feel like she should be looked at differently in the industry just because she’s a female. In reality, gender aside, Mei is a kickass bassist with strong vocal and instrumental talents - truly a multi-faceted player in the game. “I do feel strongly about who I am and my creativity, and what got me into music in the first place was inspiration. I want to inspire others as well, and that’s one of my main goals in the industry. It doesn’t come down to being female, but it has to do with the content of what I emphasize. I don’t think it should be about my gender, but my talent.” Mei works hard every day to be able to do that and represent that inspiration.

“I wish that people would focus on my fingers instead of my face.”

That’s her ultimate goal - to inspire other aspiring musicians, especially females, to go with their guts and work and study hard and allow for their own natural evolution. “If I could crush that barrier, it would be the best.”

When it comes to their live shows, the band takes as much inspiration from their fans as the fans do from them. “When there is a crowd of people singing together, it becomes something else. It’s one voice sharing perspectives about each other and sharing that space with each other.” They believe that music is about telling stories, and their music allows them to share those stories with their fans. They describe being on stage, once again, to a natural experience. “To look out into the crowd from the stage is surreal. We don’t see ourselves above anyone in that moment.” They say that those moments are collaborative; everyone in that venue creates those moments together. “We play our part, and the crowd plays their part, and it comes together to create that experience.”

“It’s like you’re staring at an open ocean and hearing the waves.”

When they aren’t making or thinking about music, Moonfall can be found sleeping or petting their dog. “That is really all we do. If we aren’t playing music, we’re petting our dog” Another unique trait about the band is that the three of them all live together. So, it’s hard to be out of that mindset since they share both their living and creative spaces. “It always comes back to music; it’s never out of our mind.” 

A final message for their fans is as simple as just wanting their fans to find out who they are and live out loud.

“We would love the fans to take our message as one of self-strength. We want them to feel they can stay true to themselves. Stay as creative and weird as they want to be. Go at it with full power. Feel at peace with who you are. Be who you are and understand what you’re fighting. Everyone has a battle. It helps to know what you’re fighting. Understand yourself better. We all can do that through music.”

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Interview by Devon Anderson, RockRevolt Managing Editor