We Speak Music
Time Stops and Songs Begin: Mikel Rafael’s The Eternal Hour
Some music feels like it’s made for driving with the windows down. The Eternal Hour isn’t that kind of record. Mikel Rafael’s debut EP is made for sitting still—really still—and letting yourself feel. Not in a heavy, sob-into-your-pillow way, but in a “the wind just reminded me of someone I used to be” way. Poetic, poignant, and piercingly human.
From the first note of “Maples and Pines,” it’s clear Rafael doesn’t write songs—he weaves spells. His guitar is delicate but deliberate, and his voice carries the kind of vulnerability you can’t fake. The track feels like morning light on old wood: warm, gentle, and somehow holy.
“The Stream” feels like you’ve wandered too far into a dream and now must follow the river out. It’s melancholic but not bleak, romantic but not naive. Rafael sings like he’s holding something precious in his hands, afraid it might break—or vanish entirely. It’s folk, yes, but folk by way of literature and lore.
By the time “Rise Into The Gentle Night” unfolds, you’re not just listening—you’re floating. This is the kind of song that makes you want to write letters you’ll never send, or walk into the woods without looking back. There’s something sacred in its restraint, in its refusal to rush the inevitable.
Mikel Rafael doesn’t need a full album to make a statement. With just three tracks, The Eternal Hour says what many artists take years to learn: sometimes the quietest music hits the loudest. And sometimes, it’s the space between the notes that leaves the deepest echo.
Italian producer, DJ and multi-instrumentalist Moon Rocket returns with ‘Just Us Alone’, a hypnotic Afro House journey built around connection, intimacy and the energy of the dancefloor.
There’s a distinct musicality running through everything Moon Rocket creates. The alias of Italian producer and multi-instrumentalist Raffaele Scoccia, Moon Rocket brings his background as a classically trained pianist and Hammond organ player into a sound that seamlessly connects melody, emotion and electronic groove.
His latest single, ‘Just Us Alone’, released via Moon Rocket Music, is a perfect example.
Driven by a warm, steady Afro House rhythm, the track unfolds around a subtle piano melody and soulful vocals, creating an atmosphere that feels intimate yet effortlessly danceable. Hypnotic rather than overproduced, ‘Just Us Alone’ finds its strength in the space between emotion and movement.
“Just Us Alone is a track about connection and intimacy”, says Moon Rocket. “I wanted to create something that felt emotional and hypnotic while still having the energy to work on the dance floor.”
That balance has become a defining characteristic of Moon Rocket’s work. His musical journey began at the age of 15, when he received his first piano, eventually leading him to study classical music, harmony and composition. Today, those foundations inform a distinctive Afro Melodic-Tech style that combines organic musicianship with contemporary club production.
Moon Rocket has built an international following through releases on labels including Defected, Nervous, Sony Italy, BBE, Hed Kandi and Soulfuric, while his music has been embraced by artists across the global electronic scene. His breakthrough track ‘Reciprocity’ surpassed 21 million plays and 250,000 Shazams, establishing him as one of the distinctive voices emerging from the Afro House movement.
On ‘Just Us Alone’, Moon Rocket takes a more intimate approach, allowing the groove, melody and vocal to work together naturally. Mastered by Sam Wills at Wired Masters, London, the track carries the warmth and clarity to work equally well through a club system, a sunset set or a late-night headphone session.
Image credit: @mattiavalerio
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