Moyzesh – Face The Sun

Moyzesh – Face The Sun – EP Review

Lemme tell ya folks…if you ever see Thundercat listed in an artist or band’s influences, trust me…you’re probably in for one heck of a cosmic trip.  As “Can’t Compete” started up this shiny debut EP, there was little to no doubt about hearing the influence of one of music’s finest psychedelic artists…and Moyzesh has certainly found a way to put his own official stamp on the whole vibe.  There’s a part of me that loves this song, and a part of me that genuinely does wonder a bit about whether or not Moyzesh needs ALL the effects he’s using on the vocals.  Don’t get me wrong, I get it – it’s the sound he’s going for – but you can also hear that, underneath all these layers, the dude’s just an authentically good singer too.  That aspect gets a little buried within the digitalized wildness he’s creatin’ – but hopefully people can hear it enough to appreciate it.  Stellar saxophone melody leads the way into this galactic adventure in sound…”Can’t Compete” is an ambitious track without a doubt…a form of futuristic Nu-Jazz of sorts – the kind of song that not only broadens your horizons and widens your palette, but really opens your eyes as to the potential for what music can truly become in our days ahead.  As with anything out there with advanced ideas well beyond our own comprehension, “Can’t Compete” might take a spin or two for you to adjust your antennas to in order to get the awesomeness that’s being laid down here – I’ll fully admit that while I was intrigued from the get-go myself, I also found this genuinely perplexing to listen to too.  The reality is that Moyzesh ain’t like the rest, and ultimately in the long run, that pays off big time when it comes to standing out from the crowd and not drowning in the dreaded sea of sameness.

With the title-track “Face The Sun” – I felt like…after already being a little bit on the fence with “Can’t Compete” at the start…this track felt like it was diving deeper into the sound and the vibe, thought I wasn’t completely sure it was finding it, until around the 1:40-ish mark – that’s where I truly started to become convinced that Moyzesh was onto something significantly special that wasn’t just going to be some kind of novelty.  I mean…c’mon y’all…LISTEN to the innovative creativity in the instrumentation will ya?  How about the P-H-A-T bass-lines and saxophone that come into this track for the finale?  Much like the EP itself, its title-track gets incredibly stronger as it plays on.  What I love about tracks like “Face The Sun” in the music as it begins, is that it’s a freakin’ RIOT to listen to, and it’s basically taking a whole lot of sound that many folks would consider to be wildly abrasive, yet making it intensely addictive to the point where you have to recognize the insightful genius of the way Moyzesh approaches the craft of songwriting.  Dude ain’t typical, that much I can tell ya…for anyone to have had the insight and artistic courage it would take to work with a sound, structure, and song like this is truly something to be commended…most artists and bands would have run away screaming in the other direction from the challenge it would present.  Not good ol’ Moyzesh though, no – I have a feeling this dude thrives in the strangest places music has to offer, and is setting up shop there permanently for the future to follow.  The solos and instrumentation in this song are completely outstanding…unique to the nth degree, wildly anti-typical too, but what an irresistible energy that Moyzesh is rockin’ with ya…you gotta experience it.

And then it happened.  One of the other pre-released singles from last year, “Suspended,” came on…and to say I was blown away wouldn’t even cover half of how I felt.  Pure audible genius with resounding sincerity – if Moyzesh wants to know what the blueprint for his pathway forward sounds like, I’d wager a bet that you’ll find it within the heart of this very song.  “Suspended” is an audible revelation and a true triumph for creativity combined…like for real y’all – I’m in awe of this track, straight up.  From the jazzy roots it has infused with Pop melody, to the incredible, jaw-dropping solo you’ll find in this song, to the vocals being so bang on for what you’d wanna hear paired with the music, to the uniqueness of the lyricism – Moyzesh has absolutely crushed the living daylights out of this track without question.  Right now, I’d easily put this song up there with the best I’ve heard this year…I know it’s only the end of February right now, but I’m very much feeling like it’ll not only hold up until 2023 is over, but long beyond, finding its way into the soundtrack of my life forevermore.  I know, I know…everything I say seems so hyperbolic, right?  Well…LISTEN to “Suspended” first before you judge me so quickly – and when Moyzesh starts to sing and drops his most melodic vocals you’ve heard on this record so far, amidst what is again, one of the most bizarre compositions you’re gonna hear on your playlist…and he blows your freakin’ mind with what he’s come up with – THEN come back at me and tell me you’re sorry for having jumped the gun and assuming I was just blowing smoke.  I never blow smoke y’all – I mean what I say, and I stand behind every word I’ve ever written…so take that to heart there Moyzesh, what I’m hearing on “Suspended” is next-level genius and there’s not a single doubt in my mind about that.  It’s a vibe that hits different for all the right reasons, and music that is guaranteed to move you for sure.  Not sure where, not sure on what, but the legendary Bubby Lewis makes an appearance on this track as well.  Considering everything you’ll hear in this song is pure audio GOLD and is seriously award worthy, I think it’s safe to say he contributed to all that.  Chances are, it’s the kickassery you’ll find in the solo that starts around the 1:40 mark…which is, to say the least, absolutely mesmerizing beyond words, 100%.

From there on, as “Pull Me Inside, Electricity” cleverly takes over where “Suspended” left off and shifts the gears of this debut EP into party mode, Moyzesh enlists the assistance of Bethany Darcey and Jake Elkan to guest-star on this final track.  Stellar all around, “Pull Me Inside, Electricity” genuinely jams – this track’s got the bass-line magic you love from Moyzesh, with perfection happening on the mic right beside him…this last track is somewhat the answer to what I was musing on at the very beginning of this record in thinking about what the music would be like with cleaner vocals that are less heavy on the effects.  While there’s no doubt there’s always a time & a place for all kinds of ideas, I think the universal accessibility of this last track speaks volumes on behalf of the potential difference that can be made with a cleaner sound paired to the music from the microphone.  Or maybe it’s just the good fortune of great guest-stars…I’ll leave you all to be the judge and jury on that – but I’m more than confident that you’ll like or love what you hear in this final track.  Of all the songs on this record, you’d probably find me willing to argue that it’s actually the most single-worthy of the bunch…the energy & melody is spot-on in every way, the hooks are super strong, the instrumentation is as colorful as ever, and the vocals hit the mark perfectly…it sure ain’t a bad way to finish things off on a debut, you feel me?  I truly felt like this whole record progressively got better from the moment it started…I like how it begins with the unique way “Can’t Compete” establishes what we’re in-store for, I thought we got a better glimpse of the depth and dimension the musicianship provides on the title-track “Face The Sun,” my personal favorite is without a doubt “Suspended,” and the track destined to be agreed upon by one & all is right here at the end with “Pull Me Inside, Electricity.”  Seriously impressive stuff from start to finish…Moyzesh has played this whole record with passion and purpose, intentionally designing exploratory material that is definitely going to be different than the majority of what’s on your playlist…and you’ll love him for that.

Find out more about Moyzesh from this handy multi-link right here:  https://linktr.ee/Moyzesh

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