Despite being their first release, Elliott Moon’s debut single showcases the duo as they step into the fold with their expansive sound fully formed. That shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, given that Elliott Keen, one half of the pairing, has spent the past few years performing around Melbourne in different acts (notably with Joshua Moriarty and Turtle Wave); however with relative newcomer Karoline StGeorge onboard, the pair have found a stunning ebb and flow that’s both wide-eyed and serenely composed.

Opening up slowly and surreally, ‘I Don't Think I Can Leave Without You’ expands with a rich swirl of glowing synthesisers, before a steady backbeat emerges and lures the track into a languorous, crystalline haze. The interplay between instruments is perfectly balanced - synths mingle and warp together effortlessly and free-flowing guitar lines flutter by, while the chugging bassline provides a frenetic backbone to anchor the track. At the centre of the piece are Elliott and Karoline’s radiant vocals; both delivered delicately but loaded with assurance, embedding ‘I Don’t Think…’ with an emotive sense of power as the soundscape blossoms and swells around every intoxicating vocal hook.

Speaking about the track, Elliott shares “When creating ‘I Don't Think I Can Leave Without You’, Karoline and I were trying to find a nice balance between a dreamy synth-pop sound and also incorporated some shoegaze elements. Mostly we aim for little hooks layered on top of each other, all washed out in a cosmic flow. The lyrics describe the internal thoughts one might have when making a tough decision. The flurry of synths represent the many options one has and how it can become overwhelming.”