Coldplay’s experimentation in the alt-rock/pop sphere is no secret. They’ve long switched up the melancholy, edgy roots to include a more anthem-like, stadium-sized sound that has witnessed collaborations with Beyonce, Tove Lo, Rihanna, BTS, and others. Now they’re out with Moon Music, a companion album to the 2021 Music of the Spheres.

Did Coldplay experiment with pop to appeal to a mass audience? Well, they’d probably be the first to say “yes”; they want to fill stadiums and achieve that sense of communal euphoria, but arguably, they’ve been doing that from the beginning with smash hits like “Yellow,” “Fix You,” and “Viva la Vida.” What Coldplay would say, when asked why they don’t repeat an album like 2000’s Parachutes, is that they’ve already done it. That was that. This is this. And while I’ve had my criticisms of some of Coldplay’s recent shifts in direction, I’m pleased with the new album.

Moon Music is a beautiful collection. The concept art of the crescent moon, the stars resembling sparks against a flush blue expanse of the heavens, and the fiery, rainbow sash of ignited atmosphere compel the eye upward. The songs do the same. The album, and its cosmic predecessor, beckon the listener to observe the way of the planets, stars, and nebulae, invoking a sense of wonder about both the honor and the smallness of being a human in a vast universe. With the pop-centric hits like “ifeellikeimfallinginlove” and “WE PRAY” show Coldplay’s continued interest in the loud and proud, the opening track, composed with soundscape artist Jon Hopkins, is a quiet, meditative piano piece. The rainbow-emoji song, a mid-album instrumental to break up the energy of “GOOD FEELiNGS” and “iAAM,” is another soft launch into quiet atmosphere, mournful, angelic, and hopeful.

While Coldplay is now a long way from where they started, and there are times I pine for those grungier days of the band, I actually admire their interest in “filling stadiums.” In an age when we’re more online than ever, still on the tail end of a COVID-19 pandemic when isolation, anxiety, and suspicion reigned, getting together in the tens of thousands to listen to a band is a welcome development. Consider the George Strait concert in College Station, Texas back in June. The festival broke records with over 110,000 attendees. Are AI and the internet erasing the need for the musician and his stage? Check out some Coldplay concert videos and you’ll see how much people want to experience wonder, beauty, and joy together.

Moon Music, Coldplay’s 10th studio album, is now streaming on Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube.