Moses Sumney is an interesting guy. From Tweeting about memes to delighting audiences with his sultry voice, the Californian singer seems to be taking things pretty chill. His latest single Worth It dropped a few days ago, but it’s taken this long for me to get around to writing about it because, well, I’ve been listening to it non-stop.
Mixing his beautiful voice with purposefully heavy auto-tune, Worth It is an ode to the little mountain of anxieties and self-doubt we all keep within. Burning imagery layers with lyrics of humanity and pain to contrast perfectly with his robotic voice, creating a stunning juxtaposition. It will have you humming along before you know what you’re doing.
Sumney hails from San Bernardino, California, but he moved to Ghana at age 10. He describes himself as a shy and nervous person, something that he clearly drew upon in Worth It. Yet you wouldn’t pick it if you heard him. His vocals are both strong and mellow, capturing an almost holy feeling of wonder. His songs draw heavily from folk and gospel influences and, while he keeps the structure simple, the emotional impact is great.
He’s worked with a bunch of big names, including Sofjam and Solange, both of whom he’s shared a stage with. He’s a big fan of Hundred Waters, and worked with them and Chance The Rapper on their Show Me Love. Often utilising looped and ethereal sounding pads, Moses Sumney is close to James Blake and Blood Orange in his sound, but takes it to a more experimental place. You’ll want to hear more of this guy.
Image: Nina Corcoran/Consequence Of Sound