Formed in 2003, Moon Safari is a Swedish progressive rock band that features multi-part vocal harmonies and orchestral rock creations that are simply beautiful. Emma, Come On (seen/heard here) is from the group’s latest LP Himlabacken Vol. 2 (December 2023). Vodka picked up several of the group’s LPs a few years ago, including Himlabacken Vol. 1 (August 2013). Though I never featured a video from them before (at the time of my initial discovery, they didn’t have any out there), I did mention them in a post in September 2013. Their sound hasn’t changed much over 20 years, but if you like a magnificent progressive rock that is singable, then Moon Safari is a wonderful band!

While personnel changes have happened over the years, the band still sports three founding members, Petter Sandström (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica), Simon Åkesson (lead vocals, lead keyboards), and Johan Westerlund (bass, backing vocals). The current lineup includes Pontus Åkesson (guitars, backing vocals), Sebastian Åkesson (keyboards, guitars, backing vocals), and Mikael Israelsson, the newest member of the group, (drums, percussion, backing vocals. “Himlabaken” means “Heaven Hill” in Swedish. Unlike many progressive rock bands, most of their compositions feature major keys. While Vodka is a sucker for minor key compositions, Moon Safari’s use of primarily major keys makes their music sound more joyous and celebratory, which is one of the factors that brought me to purchase their music. 

You can find more information on Moon Safari by heading up to their website. The website sports no SSL certificate, which is a no-no these days, but other than that the site is full of rich content including a great biography of the band. The website also seems to be missing the band’s social sites (most appear available through their Facebook page), but the music section does give you purchase options for many of the band’s LPs. You can also find Moon Safari in digital download format on their bandcamp.com site. 

If you’ve never been introduced to Moon Safari, now is a wonderful time to become acquainted. Pick up Himlabaken Vol. 2 or any of the band’s other wonderful LPs now!