The wildly prolific artist & composer Jamal Moss, also known as Hieroglyphic Being, I.B.M. and The Sun God, is responsible for countless genre-defying records on his Mathematics Recordings, as well as labels like Ninja Tune and Warp. Now, Moss drops his next album on Spanish label Apnea, ‘The Moon Dance’, an experimental free-jazz fusion project with the kind of quality we’ve come to expect from Chicago’s legendary avant-garde & afro-futurist producer.
‘When The Earth’s Shadow Falls On The Moon’ opens, setting the tone perfectly with its otherworldly qualities and a notable absence of drums. Instead, the fluid synthesisers flow like a stream of sound merging into an auditory whirlpool. Soon after, ‘The Moondance (Moon Walk Version)’ further embodies visionary jazz – idiosyncratic, flanged sounds join forces with enchanting piano melodies, once again melding together seamlessly in blues-meets-acid-house fashion. The atmospheric compositions of the LP are further enhanced by its artwork, brought to life by Dogon Krigga, an afro-surrealist collage artist working closely with Moss.
The album is rife with soulful influence, its funky and modulated drum machines laying the foundation for tracks such as ‘Lunar Mind Manipulation’ and ‘Celestial Poems By The Lady With 10000 Names’. Tracks like ‘Purple Skies With Cotton Candy’ and ‘Helium Three’ maintain Hieroglyphic Being’s expressive rhythm while exploring intricate synthesised patterns, mysterious and enticing with hypnotic, loopy sequences and raw analogue ambience.
With a discography spanning more than a dozen albums and double the singles, Moss once again proves his impact on the global music sphere. The Chicagoan effortlessly marries futuristic, extraterrestrial sounds with deep roots in the city’s rich musical past. Additionally, the artist has worked with fellow luminaries like Shabaka Hutchins, St. Vincent, Marshall Allen, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and Hans–Joachim Roedelius on remixes and various ensembles, while also working with global electronic acts like Nina Kravitz and Peggy Gou.
In 2007 Hieroglyphic Being released his ‘Guidance / Direction’ EP via influential label Apnea before the imprint went on a decade-long hiatus. In 2022, they made a comeback with releases from Kyle Hall, Gerard Hanson’s E.R.P and Gerald Donald & Brigitte Enzler’s Gedankenexperiment, Moss’ standout ‘Moon Dance’ LP now following in their footsteps.
Hieroglyphic Being ‘The Moon Dance’ LP drops on Apnea 9th October 2023
Pre-sale link – HERE
Tracklist:
01 WHEN THE EARTH’S SHADOW FALLS ON THE MOON
02 THE MOONDANCE (MOON WALK VERSION)
03 LUNAR MIND MANIPULATION
04 TETHERED 2 THE DIVINELY SPACES WITH-IN
05 FOOLED BY THE DIVINELY SPACES WITH-IN
06 CELESTIAL POEMS OF THE LADY WITH 10’000 NAMES
07 NO MATTER HOW FAR WE ARE, WE CAN ALWAYS SHARE THE MOON & STARS
08 PURPLE SKIES WITH COTTON CANDY
09 AN ETERNAL STAR BEYOND THE FIRMAMENT
10 HELIUM THREE
11 MAWU