Luna Rossa

Originally called the Kindling, the acoustic side project formed by the chief songwriters of Welsh prog outfit Panic Room came together in 2012, shortly after that group issued its well-received third album, Skin. In contrast to Panic Room’s reliance on heavy guitar riffs and upfront synth lines, Luna Rossa offered Anne-Marie Helder and Jonathan Edwards a vehicle for their quieter, more restrained compositions. The pair had co-founded Panic Room yet first collaborated regularly in 2002, when Essex-raised University of Wales alumna Helder sang backing vocals on tour for Edwards’ earlier Swansea band, Karnataka.

Although Panic Room’s initial two albums appeared largely on the band’s own label, Skin arrived via Mark Powell’s Esoteric Antenna imprint. The broader exposure and added media coverage that followed emboldened the duo to finish Luna Rossa’s first full-length record. Recording centered on Helder’s airy vocal melodies and acoustic guitar alongside Edwards’ polished grand-piano arrangements, with additional support from the supple double bass of Cerys Matthews’ band member Andy “Wal” Coughlan.

Issued in summer 2013, Sleeping Pills and Lullabies presented a spare aesthetic that evoked both classic folk-rock ensembles such as Pentangle and contemporary crossover artists like Natasha Khan’s Bat for Lashes.