The biblical story of Moses sees the protagonist and namesake start his journey through life in a basket, wading through the Nile river. The story continues to see Moses reach a grand heroic arc, but I just want you to focus on the opening imagery for now. Moses (the band) has no affiliation with this story, but they create a lush and spaced-out brand of indie rock that makes you feel like your bobbing along, floating down the river Nile on a journey all your own through their debut album, an expansive and rewarding effort called New Mood.
The album’s opening is grand and spacious; the bobbing nature of “Burden” leaves so much room to breathe and grow that it creates a headspace all it’s own. You start to get lost in the album right away, continuously allowing yourself to venture deeper into the universe Moses has created. The visual representation of that universe can be seen in the artwork for New Moon. It (literally) paints a picture of something that is seemingly desolate, or, at least empty and grand enough that the narrative vocals echo off a wall and into your head.
The track “Run” seamlessly ties the biblical reference into New Mood effortlessly. Intentional or not, lyrics like “you drifted out to sea/it was too deep and too dark to see you in the water” feel like a subtle nod and wink to it. This is one of the most poignant and memorable tracks on the album. It fits the vibe that Moses was trying to curate but stands just a little higher than its peers.
Aside: There are a lot of references to water surrounding this band; Moses and the river, parting the red sea, based in Grand Rapids.
That said, this record is an experience all it’s own. The expansive and constantly shifting nature of New Mood creates a headspace and universe that listeners are bound to sink into in a matter of seconds. You can stream New Mood in full below.
New Mood is available November 9th. Pick up your copy of the record here.
