Moise is proof that the future of music, held in the hands of indefinable, multi-talented youth, is not safe, but is instead vivaciously alive and capable of being absolutely anything when the right amount of talent meets the right amount of artistic persistence. Growth is first and foremost when defining the young Minnesotan whose auditory aesthetic isn’t measured in its absurd width or its lack of stylistic structure, but rather its blended worlds of emotional capacity and altogether drowning of conventionalism. 

 

Moise is very much built upon the foundations of Motown and classic rock. He sometimes sounds like early 2000’s throwback alternative indie, and at other times is reminiscent of 90’s R&B. He’s a bedroom pop star on the rise, an R&B futurist, and an emerging master of neo-soul. And his debut project, Amongst the Leaves somehow captures his indefinability and tethers it together with a particular sonic texture that we’ve never quite heard before. But somehow, it feels familiar. Amongst the Leaves is a welcoming, comforting, accepting kind of project that doesn’t just invite a wide-ranging swath of stylistically-driven audiences, but also gives them all a hug, sits them down, and explains that this is the way music was meant to be made.

 

There aren’t many words that capture Amongst the Leaves better than honest. Moise is an honest songwriter who divulges his experiences with love, lust, loss, and general life in the comforting kind of way your best friends do when they’ve had one too many craft beers. And he makes the honest kind of music that feels organic and simple without losing the things that make him such a bold artist in the first place – an honoring of instrumentation, a reminiscence of key past musical eras, and a direction that takes that foundation and flips it on its head all the while enamoring the world of experimental futurism in all its forms. 

 

The best music comes from those who truly capture their own selves with its sound, and Moise, with Amongst the Leaves has done just that. It’s quiet, it’s emotional, it’s sexy, and it’s raw. It leaves little if anything to be desired in its stylistic milieu. In fact, it invents a new one altogether. Moise is his own genre and  is the first of its kind. That’s what makes it all so special. 

 

Taking form towards the modern idealism of the A-Side / B-Side collection, Moise does a stellar job of establishing two very different yet very complimentary mini-projects. A feels like the daytime. It breathes of positivism, sunshiny production, and thought-provoking, park-strolling lyricism. Wildflower – his biggest hit to date and the track for which he was invited to perform with COLORS, leads it off, only to be followed up two tracks later by another pre-project single, A Thousand Miles (which reminds us of emotional indie ballads from 2005). Had Enough & Cherry Red – two new additions to the A-Side cut, are more reminiscent of other movements altogether. Maybe punk rock and mellow pop? Honestly, it’s hard to say. 

 

B feels like nighttime. Driven much more by Moise’s still evolving and improving, but already pristine and unique vocals, Bad Attitude, Full Circle, & One Last Time take us through a night of subtle sensuality and undeniable silkiness that make us think that is Moise wanted to, he could be one of the next pure R&B talents. But, that’s not what he’s about. Moise, like all of us, is a complex, multi-dimensional human. The difference between him and us (and between him and most other artists), is that based on thematic discourse and emotion, he has the capacity to deliver music through an explosive spectrum of colorful variations.

 

The courage it takes to release a debut project of any kind should be celebrated. But the courage to do so in a way that is so open, all-encompassing, honest and one-of-a-kind should be applauded relentlessly. So, here’s to you, Moise. Thanks for never losing sight of your direction. You can find us Amongst the Leaves.