Sydney electronic duo MOZA have been impressing crowds across the country with their killer live show and slick tracks. Their new single “Gold” hears them channeling an alternative dance production that is reminiscent of SAFIA with their unique delivery and soulful vocals. The track looks at the importance of friendships that continually grow and shape you as a person and explores how you can have different personalities around different people. It’s a cool and euphoric concept that explodes during the massive chorus which will be instantly stuck in your head. This song joins the catchy “Empty Streets” and “Keep Up” which both showcase unqiue moody production with soulful vocals. I recently had a chat to one half of MOZA Cam Nacson about their newest single “Gold”, touring and how they experiment with sounds in the studio. Check it out below;
TB: Your new single “Gold” is very euphoric sounding from the production to the lyrics to even the vocal delivery. Was this sound and feeling something you wanted to create or did it happen naturally while experimenting in the studio?
CN: It’s funny, we don’t think we intended on it being euphoric. But given the theme and how we wrote the song especially given we started writing it with Panama who writes great upbeat, uplifting tracks, we think it was destined to be euphoric. .
TB:“Gold” explores the importance of friendships that continually grow and shape you as a person and how you can have different personalities around different people. So how do you think your friends have impacted or changed you personally?
CN: l have been lucky enough to grow up with the same best mates since pre school, we’ve been with each other for 23 years so arguably we have infinitely shaped each other’s lives. They are my family as much as my parents and brother. I honestly couldn’t imagine how different my life would be without them.
TB: Following on with this “Gold” theme, what one trait each do you reckon you have adapted from each other is? It can be a good trait or a bad trait *laughs*
CN: *Laughs* uh.. we will try keep this PG. We actually use the same dumb ironic slang. So much so that l don’t think it’s ironic any more.
TB: Musically you guys have been experimenting with some different sounds and structures with your singles. Do you find there to be quite a pressure when you’re working on the next single to make it bigger, bolder and catchier?
CN: So much pressure, especially now being signed. It’s not just about which single we love the most, although we still have the most say over what gets released, there are so many more factors to consider. However, when we’re in the studio we don’t let that get to us. We just write what we feel like writing, what we feel has been working. Our last few demos have been borderline rock songs similar to Gang of Youths. Whether they’ll ever see the light of day, I don’t know. But like l said, we just write what we really feel cause otherwise it comes out contrived and we never truly love the song.
TB: Previously you guys have stated that you find it more important to focus on creating singles than EP’s or albums. Is this still the objective for you guys or have you started to work on an EP/album?
CN: To be honest we’ve said that because we don’t feel we “deserve” an EP yet.
We believe in playing the singles game until something really connects with people, it’s a big part of discovering what your sound is. In saying that we’ve recently been writing stuff that actually sounds like a body of work, so an EP could definitely be on the cards for 2018/19.
TB: When you guys are working in the studio together how do you guys start a song idea/process?
CN: We’ve got the process pretty down pat. We start with chords. Toby and l being multi-instrumentalists either of us may write the initial idea, usually a bit of both. Then while Toby starts to build something sonically, l’ll start singing some melodies to find something that sticks. Next we’ll discuss what vibe the song sounds like, what it should be about, if we hadn’t already from the start. l’ll write lyrics while Toby builds the structure. The whole process takes a few hours from start to demo, especially the good ones flow quite quickly.
TB: You have been playing a lot of shows and festivals recently. What has been the best or strangest show experience you have had so far?
CN: Man, honestly we played this dope random gig in Albury. We had these acoustic acts supporting us then we rock up with our full lighting rig and electronic set in the courtyard of the Bended Elbow thinking everyone’s going to run a mile. But it was incredible, everyone there was so into it and despite being horrendously hung over from the night before it was one of our favourite gigs and we got to hang with some lovely locals afterward.
TB: Lets play a little game when you answer these questions with the first thing that comes to mind.
TB: Our ultimate festival line up would be…
CN: Odesza, Gang of Youths, Beyoncé, Anderson .Paak, John Mayer, Peking Duk and Flume.
TB: Most people think we are…
CN: DJs before we turn up with our instruments and full lighting rig.
TB: If we weren’t called MOZA we would be called…
CN: BRNCHS, cause we were until the night before we released our first single and then re-branded overnight cause Branchez started blowing up.
TB: The most unexpected thing on our rider is…
CN: Ever having anyone read and deliver our rider.
TB: One question I can’t stand in interviews is…
CN: Apparently this one cause l can’t think of any. We like talking about ourselves, we’re narcissistic like that.
MOZA “Gold” Australian Tour;
Fri March 16 – Black Bear Lodge – Brisbane
Fri March 23 – The Penny Black – Melbourne
Sat March 24 – OAF Gallery Bar – Sydney
Sun March 25 – Cambridge – Newcastle
Fri March 30 – RAD – Wollongong