Fresh from winning Best New Band at the 2025 East Anglia NMG Awards, Essex quartet Arcane Moon release their anticipated debut album The Hour Glass (October 31st).
Blending soulful melodies with a driving groove and a sharp indie edge, the band capture an emotional depth reminiscent of R.E.M., Prefab Sprout, and Radiohead, while harnessing the rhythmic precision and intent of The Police, all underpinned by a 70s and 80s classic rock sensibility.
The Hour Glass was recorded at Three Circles Recording Studio in Wimbish, Essex, with co-producer Adrian Hare, while tracks ‘Sunday Gravy’, ‘Spirit of the Bear’, and ‘The Hour Glass’ were re-mastered by Pete Meher (U2, Liam Gallagher, Pixies to name a few). Across the 12-track album, the band create rich soundscapes filled with biting, crunchy guitar licks, swelling synths, tight drums, and warm bass, all supporting emotive and compelling lead vocals. Balancing a sense of kinetic energy with contemplative, heartfelt sincerity, tracks such as ‘Utopian’, ‘Lumens’, and the new single ‘Sunday Gravy’ showcase mature musicianship, considered arrangements, and instantly memorable vocal hooks. At times evoking the textures of Phil Collins and Pink Floyd, while maintaining a contemporary indie-rock urgency akin to White Lies and The Killers, the album delivers a bold and imaginative journey through the band’s evolving sound.
Speaking about the album, the band explain: “The album was recorded in May 2025 at the Three Circles Recording Studio, Wimbish, Essex with co-producer Adrian Hare. One of the main reasons for choosing Three Circles is it allowed the band to play all together, authentically, live as a band, rather than building it up one instrument at a time.
The song writing process usually starts with a guitar riff or a chord sequence giving an initial theme for the song. We then jam different instrumental options and then put a vocal melody over the top. Once in place, Josh finalises the lyrics to the theme of the song. Finally, the artwork hopefully captures the spirit or essence of the song”
Closing the album, the title track and lead single ‘The Hourglass’ is a vibrant, heartfelt representation of the band’s considered writing style. Accompanied by a striking new music video (due for release 7th Nov), the single gradually builds through its elegant, controlled verse, growing to a soaring guitar solo and eventual climactic crescendo.
Speaking about the new single and title track the band explain:
“‘The Hour Glass’ is a reflection on time, fragility, and urgency – a call to move beyond materialism, protect our planet, and make every moment matter. The track is a series of wake-up calls about humanity: to materialism, reminding us that true meaning comes from experiences and connections; to our fleeting existence, placing human life in perspective against the vastness of time; and to our environment, warning that without change, we risk irreparable damage to the world we depend on. Like the hourglass itself, life is fragile – once the vessel breaks or the final grains fall, time cannot be reversed. It’s both a reflection and a reminder: to value what matters, protect what we have, and make the most of the time we’re given.”
Following the success of their debut single Three Little Words in September 2024 and their acclaimed six-track EP Ellipsis in November 2024, described by UK Radio Producer Chris Straw as “the accomplished debut most musicians can only dream of making”, the band returned to the studio in May 2025 to begin work on their first full-length album. Over the summer, they released three singles, each showcasing the band’s evolving sound and artistic ambition. With The Hour Glass, they deliver their most cohesive and thought-provoking work to date.
Over the past year, the band have established themselves as one to watch, playing across the UK including 8DayWeekend Festival 2025 (alongside Reef, Dodgy and The Feeling) as well as appearances at Reepham Festival, Brightlingsea Free Music Festival, and headline shows at 93 Feet East, Camden Assembly, Hot Box (Chelmsford), Retro (Manchester), and Hertford Corn Exchange to name just a few.
The Hour Glass will be released independently on all major streaming platforms on October 31, 2025.
Arcane Moon are:
Josh McDowall (Guitar / Vocals)
Matt Hinton (Drums)
Joe Holmes (Bass Guitar)
Scott Mitchell (Keyboards / Vocals)
All artwork by Josh McDowall (Guitar / Vocals)
Upcoming Live Dates:
Nov 29th, 2025 – Headline show, O2 Academy, Islington, London
Jan 10th, 2026 – Three Wise Monkeys, Colchester (Headline)
April 25th, 2026 – HotBox, Chelmsford (Headline)
May 9th, 2026 – Firebug, Leicester (Headline)
June 5th, 2026 – Alive & V Dubbin Festival, Suffolk
August 8th – Reepham Festival, Norfolk
Arcane Moon – The Hour Glass
For music submission, click here
