Zero 7 and Nightmares On Wax collaborator, Mozez, to release new solo album, Wings
Published: 15 November 2015 | by Music Reporter
Long term Zero 7 and Nightmares On Wax collaborator Mozez has announced his new solo album, Wings, to be released November 6th.
It's a brilliant album, mixing between lyrical feelings of uncertainty, set against the backdrop of a definitive, warming and lush musical landscape.
The record has already garnered support from BBC 6 Music's Tom Robinson and BBC Radio 2's Dermot O'Leary.
"The singers I look up to, like Marvin Gaye and Karen Carpenter, have an ease and beauty in how they sing. The point of singing is to deliver a message. If you sing with grace, your story will sound easy," says Mozez, real name Osmond Wright.
Long before Sam Smith and Jess Glynne got their start as collaborators with the likes of Disclosure and Rudimental, Jamaican soul singer Mozez was helping influential soothing club duo Zero 7 to tell their story with an unhurried simplicity.
Across two albums at the turn of the '00s, it was Mozez's graceful voice that shone alongside the then-unknown Sia and Sophie Barker in Zero 7's compelling comedown music.
In 2006 his haunting debut album, So Still, won rave reviews. Since then, other than touring as the singer for long-time friend Nightmares On Wax, Mozez has been silent.
Until now. Nine years on, and the perfectionist singer/writer/producer is ready to emerge with Wings, an album that's definitely worth waiting for.
Run River from Mozez
Wings' title track and first single has already garnered praise from Dermot O'Leary at Radio 2 and 6 Music's Tom Robinson, with the video notching over a million YouTube hits.
Wings opens the album, and what follows are rich, varied textures that encompass the absurdly catchy A Place Called Home and Hannah, the dark drama of Planets, Run River's choppy funk, unsettling Brian Eno ambience on Philia and Broken Toy's multi-coloured psychedelia.
What unites the songs is that, for all the troubles about love, money and friendship within, there's a strong message of hope throughout. "The point of the record is optimism," says Mozez. "There's so much frustration and trouble in society, but the future is what we as humanity make of it. We're in a state of metamorphosis, and my view is we can have a grand future if we can come to a collective consciousness."
Resident in London since moving from Jamaica in the late '90s, Mozez studied how to be a producer, working on Wings at the East London studio he owns with production partner Tony White (Hed Kandi, Frank Joshua).
As writer, artist and producer, Mozez looks to his older brother Michael for outside views on whether his music is going down the right path. The son of a religious minister, Mozez grew up singing in the church, idolising Michael, a talented reggae vocalist whose singing has been hampered by ill health.
On moving to London, Osmond Wright slowly became Mozez as his real name "dissatisfied" the singer. "It didn't sound the right name for an artist. I admire Motown, hence Mo, and I played around with that until I hit on Mozez. It's strange how a name gives you a different mindset. If someone calls me Osmond now, I feel like I'm doing business. As Mozez, I feel like an artist." Mozez is now ready to return to the spotlight, vowing that he's already begun writing songs for another record "which shouldn't take nine years".
For more information:
http://www.mozez.co.uk/
http://www.deaconcommunications.com/
- Deacon Communications
It's a brilliant album, mixing between lyrical feelings of uncertainty, set against the backdrop of a definitive, warming and lush musical landscape.
The record has already garnered support from BBC 6 Music's Tom Robinson and BBC Radio 2's Dermot O'Leary.
"The singers I look up to, like Marvin Gaye and Karen Carpenter, have an ease and beauty in how they sing. The point of singing is to deliver a message. If you sing with grace, your story will sound easy," says Mozez, real name Osmond Wright.
Long before Sam Smith and Jess Glynne got their start as collaborators with the likes of Disclosure and Rudimental, Jamaican soul singer Mozez was helping influential soothing club duo Zero 7 to tell their story with an unhurried simplicity.
Across two albums at the turn of the '00s, it was Mozez's graceful voice that shone alongside the then-unknown Sia and Sophie Barker in Zero 7's compelling comedown music.
In 2006 his haunting debut album, So Still, won rave reviews. Since then, other than touring as the singer for long-time friend Nightmares On Wax, Mozez has been silent.
Until now. Nine years on, and the perfectionist singer/writer/producer is ready to emerge with Wings, an album that's definitely worth waiting for.
Run River from Mozez
Wings' title track and first single has already garnered praise from Dermot O'Leary at Radio 2 and 6 Music's Tom Robinson, with the video notching over a million YouTube hits.
Wings opens the album, and what follows are rich, varied textures that encompass the absurdly catchy A Place Called Home and Hannah, the dark drama of Planets, Run River's choppy funk, unsettling Brian Eno ambience on Philia and Broken Toy's multi-coloured psychedelia.
What unites the songs is that, for all the troubles about love, money and friendship within, there's a strong message of hope throughout. "The point of the record is optimism," says Mozez. "There's so much frustration and trouble in society, but the future is what we as humanity make of it. We're in a state of metamorphosis, and my view is we can have a grand future if we can come to a collective consciousness."
Resident in London since moving from Jamaica in the late '90s, Mozez studied how to be a producer, working on Wings at the East London studio he owns with production partner Tony White (Hed Kandi, Frank Joshua).
As writer, artist and producer, Mozez looks to his older brother Michael for outside views on whether his music is going down the right path. The son of a religious minister, Mozez grew up singing in the church, idolising Michael, a talented reggae vocalist whose singing has been hampered by ill health.
On moving to London, Osmond Wright slowly became Mozez as his real name "dissatisfied" the singer. "It didn't sound the right name for an artist. I admire Motown, hence Mo, and I played around with that until I hit on Mozez. It's strange how a name gives you a different mindset. If someone calls me Osmond now, I feel like I'm doing business. As Mozez, I feel like an artist." Mozez is now ready to return to the spotlight, vowing that he's already begun writing songs for another record "which shouldn't take nine years".
For more information:
http://www.mozez.co.uk/
http://www.deaconcommunications.com/
- Deacon Communications
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