Coldplay, “Moon Music.”

Coldplay recently announced that its 12th album would be its last and that the quartet would be retiring afterward. Music Moon, the band’s just-released 10th album, sets the slow march in motion. The record opens with a clash of complex orchestral beauty and somber melancholy and questioning. The mostly instrumental title track is a collaboration with English music producer Jon Hopkins and provides a reflection of some of the internal conflict facing frontman Chris Martin.

“Maybe I’m just crazy/ I should just be a brick in the wall,” Martin sings in a sullen whisper.

The rest of the album serves as the emotional response to that initial contemplative questioning. The follow-up track, “feelslikeimfallinginlove,” offers the innocent optimism of a newly blooming relationship. The guitar-driven song is vibrant, melodic and upbeat; it gets right to the point without a lot of added window dressing. Right on brand for the Coldplay sound.

“You’re throwing me a lifeline, and for the first time I know I’m not alone,” Martin sings.

The beat-heavy “We Pray” goes harder than expected with guests like Little Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna and TINI. Martin’s vocals are an effective melodic counterpoint to the hip-hop and R&B voices, and the song strikes with an impressive precision. It’s a compelling pop track that comes as a welcome surprise.

The acoustic balladry of “JUPiTER” takes things in the opposite direction, opening with just Martin and plucked guitar strings by Jonny Buckland. Layer by layer, it begins to build. At its crescendo, Martin sings in tandem with a chorus of voices, bringing a transcendent sound. There’s an infectious optimism to his cadence and enthusiasm for the material.

Moon Music is at its best when Coldplay forgets what it’s supposed to sound like. The funky “GOOD FEELINGS,” with Nigerian singer Ayra Starr, infuses elements of soul and disco with a bass-laden stomp. Starr’s voice provides an excellent contrast to Martin’s and helps to expand the boundaries of the band’s sound.

At the center point of the album is an instrumental track, unusually titled with a rainbow emoji. Over six minutes, it dramatically rises and falls with a quiet intricacy. For an album of 44 minutes, it takes up a disproportionate amount of the music. Still, it’s pleasant enough. Martin then returns for the unbridled optimism of mid-tempo acoustic rocker “iAAM.”

“I’ll be back on my feet again because I am a mountain,” he sings.

The album jumps back and forth between the conventional Coldplay aesthetic and unconventional twists. “AETERNA” is a clubby Euro-pop banger that works better than it should. The arrangements are pristine and Martin’s vocals are the cherry on top. The piano balladry of “ALL MY LOVE” falls back to middle ground: cinematic soft rock with an orchestral accompaniment.

The album ends on a quiet note with dour piano ballad “ONE WORLD.”

“In the end, it’s just love,” is the refrain repeated by Martin in the album’s final moments, a reflection that works as a fitting closing sentiment. While fans have two more albums to expect there’s a sense of self-reflection, as if Martin is taking stock of his own journey. Moon Music strikes a balance between Coldplay having something to say while not taking itself too seriously.

The original version of this story incorrectly stated when Coldplay’s Chris Martin said the band was planning on retiring. It is with its 12th album. We regret the error.

Follow writer Mike DeWald at Twitter.com/mike_dewald.