With ‘Avena Moon’, audiovisual trio Plants Heal invites us into the shifting terrain of their upcoming album, Forest Dwellers. Clocking in at 5:39, the opener immediately sets the tone with what one reviewer called “slippery syncopation”, a broken, off-kilter groove from drummer Dave De Rose that feels both organic and restless, like branches rustling against night air.

Dan Nicholls’ synths hover in response, washing the rhythm in glowing pads and subtle field recordings. The effect is kaleidoscopic: each layer appears to shimmer and recede, evoking moonlit forests where every sound feels half-ritual, half-improvisation. Named after Avena sativa, the common oat long used for its calming properties, the track plays with that tension between stillness and momentum, offering nourishment even as it edges toward rave-inspired propulsion.

As the piece unfolds, textures bloom into a pulsating core, accompanied by improvisatory fragments, percussive sparks, and airy vocals, creating a sound that is both tactile and mystical. ‘Avena Moon’ is less about linear progression and more about immersion, a perfect entry point into Plants Heal’s world of wild abstraction and ritual groove.

The trio is completed by filmmaker Louise Boer, also known as Lou Zon, who created the mind-expanding visual below.