Denai Moore – Modern Dread (2020) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

3 stars out of 5 — “Moore deftly manages to deliver on any expectations that may have been placed on her by showcasing her gentle evolution as an artist….Her latest album is therefore able to expertly explore themes of hopelessness and concern for the future.”

In her previous releases Elsewhere and We Used to Bloom, British-Jamaican artist Denai Moore incorporated R&B, folk and electronic influences, positioning her sound as having no boundaries. For her third album, her genre-blending tracks explore the paradoxical isolation that arises in an age when we are supposedly more connected than ever.

Moore’s hypnotically sinister beats take the listener on a surrealist journey into a fantasy world – pairing contemplations on security and selfhood with futuristic warped noises, she creates a nightmarish realm reflecting humanity’s darkness. Electronic sound underpins the album – Too Close is defined by its technically impressive basslines, while on Turn Off the Radio, Moore’s ethereal words overlap each other in a chorus of distorted vocals.

For Moore, escapism is what motivates this imagined reality: lyrically, she attempts to uproot herself from a system she refuses to align with. In To the Brink, Moore is dissatisfied with the inherently futile, unstable and violent nature of contemporary society, desperate to forge an alternative universe where she feels safe (“trying to find the space to finally break free / yet we can’t pull the plug / Still hanging on parts of us”). Sonically, there is an anxiety-inducing energy as her modular synths seem to take on a life of their own, teaming up with aggressive percussion and layered vocals to catapult us into Moore’s subconscious.

Tracklist:

1. Denai Moore – Too Close (02:54)
2. Denai Moore – Don’t Close The Door (03:44)
3. Denai Moore – Fake Sorry (03:40)
4. Denai Moore – Grapefruit on The Porch (03:10)
5. Denai Moore – Cascades (03:36)
6. Denai Moore – Hail (04:06)
7. Denai Moore – To The Brink (03:54)
8. Denai Moore – Motherless Child (04:06)
9. Denai Moore – Turn Off The Radio (03:20)
10. Denai Moore – Honour (03:11)
11. Denai Moore – Slate (02:26)
12. Denai Moore – Offer Me (04:25)
13. Denai Moore – Wishin’ You Better (04:02)