With this debut EP, Mo Wrights delivers a jazz-focused and narrative-driven record navigating the inner dialogue of a creative struggle of inferiority, abstraction and commitment. The story finds him enlisting some friends along the way to advance from one act to the other.
With the title track - ‘things2proof’ - Mo tries to combine his myriad of influences in a 6-minute record that weaves together elements of jazz, broken beat, acid jazz, fusion, hip-hop and hints of rock. The coherence comes from his poignant narrative, which resembles a four-act structure, telling the story of alienation and his internal experience of inferiority, creative frustration, and his eventual recognition of a solution, concluding by finally permitting himself to simply ‘be’.
The b-side ‘proof of concept’ follows the title track and Mo embraces a more laid-back approach, sitting sonically closer to his beloved broken beat sound. Amsterdam-based pianist Misto Kay delivers a long soul-felt piano solo that carries the track into untold dimensions of groove.
As a co-founder of the Amsterdam-based music platform Steppin’ Into Tomorrow, whose ethos is anchored in the principle of collaboration and unification of the Dutch scene is a deeply felt sentiment throughout Mo’s EP. He enlists a slew of emergent local legends, such as QUANZA, Jamie Peet, Han Litz, kotokid and Misto Kay to embellish and remix his creation. Similarly, the remixes emulate this ethos, featuring Kofi The Unknown, LYMA, Misto Kay and Jazz 'nDance. - written by JackSB
Early support from: Marco Weibel, Suze Ijo, KAMMA & MASALO, Lucas Benjamin, Ask Me Later, Daz-I-Kue, Robert Luis, Beraber.
credits
released March 15, 2024
Written, produced and arranged by Mo Wrights
Mixed by Axewood Custom Music
Additional production by Axewood Custom Music, Misto Kay
Drums recorded by Vincent Helbers at Flowriders Studio
Mastered by Johanz
Pressed by Deepgrooves
Cover photo by James Gallagher
Cover Design by Mo Wrights
Personnel
Guitar - QUANZA (1), Thierry Bakker (1), Danilo Mormandi (6)
Flute - Han Litz (1)
Bass - kotokid (1), Rafael Martinez Alders (6)
Drums - Jamie Peet (1)
Electric Piano, Synth - Misto Kay (4, 5)
Electric Piano, Synth, Percussion - Mo Wrights (1, 4)
Saxophone - Miguel Valente (5), Jaime Pineda Soler (6), Juan Martinez Schrijver (6)
Drum programming - Mo Wrights (1, 4), 7, Kofi the Unknown (2), LYMA (3) Misto Kay (5), Quincy Speelman (6)
Special thanks to: Lucas Benjamin, Tymon Bijlhout, Stijn van Wijk, Marivs, SIEM, Miguel Valente, James Gallagher, Michelle Jordaan, the Steppin’ Crew, Quincy Speelman & Jamila Meischke.
Genres are just chapters which, when taken together, are greater than the sum of their parts. Naturally, Mo's records range from House gems to Broken Beat, from Rap to Jazz-Funk, Punjabi Garage or Chutney-Soca and from Future Beats to Jazz Rave.
Two bubbling broken beat songs get a pair of reworks that present the core elements in different forms while leaving the chill vibes intact. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 21, 2019