The Beauty of “Wave Your Moonlight Hat For the Snowfall Train”

Maria Navarro

Music Journalist

Have you’ve ever felt as if you are stuck in a dream where you refuse to wake up. It is filled with a softness and whimsical mysteries that catch you in awe. These are two of the many feelings that I feel while listening to the album, Wave Your Moonlight Hat For the Snowfall Train by Canadian duo, You’ll Never Get to Heaven.

Formed in 2012 and consisting of Alice Hansen and Chuck Blazevic, You’ll Never Get to Heaven is shaped by their atmospheric dreamlike sound, delicate vocals, and thoughtful lyrics. This album, released in 2021, feels as if it could’ve been released in the 90s. Their dreamy sound is reminiscent to the works of some pioneers of dream pop such as Broadcast, Stereolab, Cocteau Twins, and Brian Eno. I am such a big fan of these artists and being able to discover a new favorite with some similarities and unique touches has been exciting. Wave Your Moonlight Hat For the Snowfall Train explores themes of nostalgia, change and self-reflection. Almost all of their tracks are up for the listener to interpret and experience in their psyche.

When listening to this short 8 track album in its entirety, there’s a sense of melancholy with dashes of hope and peace. I feel as if I keep wandering through mysterious rooms with different themes. It is captivating with its layering of synths, guitars, and haunting vocals. There are times when I feel as if the ambient songs sound sweet and innocent and a great example of that is the fourth track, “Pattern Waves.” The intro makes me feel as if I am a kid again and seeing things with a childlike wonder. It fills my mind up with hazy and glittery imagery of earthy greenery, and flapping butterflies. This song just taps into such a peaceful part of my brain that I didn’t know I could reach, making me feel like I’m on a trip.

My favorite track came to be “Setting Sun”, which is the first song off this album.  Alice Hansen’s vocals are otherworldly. It is as if she is following you through clouds and a warm sunset. There is something so comforting about her voice, yet this track makes you dwell on some changes that occur in the cycle of life. To me it symbolizes a chapter closing and a new one to come. Every instrument used strikes a chord in my mind and soul with the music becoming a personal haven. The rhythm of this song also manages to make me feel as if I’m on a journey of self-discovery. Tiptoeing around the crevices of my mind and reflecting on who I am and where I am in life.

The lyrics in some of these songs are so poetic and devastating. One of my favorite lyrics from this album comes from the third track “Dust” with “On the way up to heaven hill/ Looking back I remember still/ You smiled, I sighed/ You loved, I tried/ You slept, I cried/ You lived, I died.” Emotions start creeping up on me and I feel pure devastation hearing these words. The contrast in feelings between the lovers in this song is heartbreaking and makes me realize how people experience things differently especially when it comes to love.

There is so much beauty in the way You’ll Never Get to Heaven crafts their sound. The beautiful ambient sounds that make up most of these tracks put you in a trance that makes you reflect a plethora of memories. They truly seem to encapsulate universal feelings that can’t easily be explained. The duo makes it so easy to have the listener’s feelings connect these songs to a personal experience. I hope that You’ll Never Get To Heaven releases a new album soon to hear more of their introspective lyrics and experimental sounds.