Moses Sumney Has An Odd But Important Message With "Black In Deep Red, 2014"

Sometimes the strongest statements are the ones stated simply and quickly, not wasting any time to explain it. That's what Moses Sumney sets out to do on his new EP, and though brief it does leave a lasting mark. Moses Sumney has an odd but important message with Black In Deep Red, 2014, a short but important EP.

While it's clear Sumney wants to make a statement, he doesn't do it in an easily digestible way. You have to search this nooks and crannies of these three songs to really find something. 'Power?' begins the record in a weirdly empowering fashion, the continuous chanting of "Power to the people, the people have power" assisted by the droning, metallic voice showing what appears to be the start of a revolution and its aftermath. 'Call-To-Arms' follows with a funky yet scattered structure, like a jazzy Radiohead track. It's all over the place, but in its chaos there is something that lets you grab on. Ending track 'Rank & File' is just as dynamic as the previous track but with a creepier atmosphere, an air of optimism surrounding it in an odd way. This record seems to tell a story of revolution that ends with two possible scenarios: failure, where power is an illusion, or while still in progress, in a dark place but where the hope is not lost.

Moses Sumney has an odd but important message with Black In Deep Red, 2014, but he doesn't let it come across easily. You do have to dig into it a bit, but this record lends itself to that. It has that feeling that makes you really want to understand it, whether that means analyzing it track by track, word by word, or listening to it again and again. It grabs you in and doesn't let you go until you've found that message it has, and even then leaves you wondering if you've truly found it.

Favorite Track: Rank & File

Least Favorite Track: Call-To-Arms

Rating: 76 / 100

Stream or buy Black In Deep Red, 2014 on Apple Music, and follow our 2018 Playlist on Spotify: