Song of The Week 7/17/23

“Brink”

Welcome home and welcome back to a place of kinship and belonging for all music lovers in the Wilmington community. I extend the hope of wellbeing to all that this finds as we bring another offering to your ears and minds. Introducing one of the most prolific artists to walk the streets of Wilmington, MoeSOS DC, and his newly released single, “Brink (ft.Kodoku).”

Review & Exposition

Music and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraquib begins his conversations with artists on his podcast Object of Sound with the message that follows, “When music lives in the air, it’s one thing. When you know the undercurrents and the ideas that went into a song and when you can feel its weight, it becomes more meaningful,” this being the object of sound, the tangible reality that guides each artist and every creation. I find that my approach to these reviews is in a service of gratitude, exploring a song and the aforementioned undercurrents that lead one away from a binary conclusion of good or bad towards a fluid meaning in another’s art and labor. When I speak of proliferation in output, I speak of the testament of dedication to a craft that is palpable in MoeSOS DC’s work. Releasing eight albums, an arsenal of singles and EPs, alongside numerous collaborative efforts with other artists in around four years of time speaks to the necessity of the soul to produce. It seems to me that MoeSOS finds a measure of belonging in the aphorism, “Life is action, Inaction is death.”

The first post on MoeSOS’ Instagram account is a live performance of “Black Cherry,” a collaborative effort by WaveLength and MoeSOS DC. In the five minute duration of the song, you watch as the weight of the song and the weight behind the words flowing from Moe force him to a deep inner confrontation. His performance is laced with an intense outpouring of emotion. His voice cracks with every pleading question, reminiscent of the way Kendrick Lamar utilizes inflections of the voice throughout his work, and noticeably on songs like “Collect Calls,” to personify grief. Eyes bound shut as he engages his limits, white knuckles gripping the mic with full force as though it might join with a life of loss, MoeSOS pauses to allow the band space and himself a moment, taking a soul alleviating breath before entering a short interlude. MoeSOS creates space to dedicate the song to loved ones lost and the freedom found in vulnerability. To speak of this performance is to speak of the raw, soulful release on Moe’s behalf as it illuminates the weights we all bear on our souls and the avenues we explore to keep ourselves from crossing the brink.

“Brink” attaches roots and occupies a space of persistence in one’s head, mirroring the thematic topics of the track that linger in our lives. Beginning with the haunting of the opening keys, driven by a droning hum, and accentuated by Moe’s stretching of notes, a series of worldly realizations on part of the creator distills into a warning on part of the listener. “Watch out as they hold you, they cannot control you,” is repeated as the chorus with Moe recounting the overwhelming task of reconciling the ever-increasing problems he faces in daily living—problems ranging from the existential to the interpersonal, the need for escape and resolution made dire. “What if I blink, would it all be over?,” Moe highlights the cyclical nature of dread that arises from living in a state of constant worry, leading to the feeling that even a single move in the wrong direction, one false step, will end disastrously. The feature provided by Kodoku, a North Carolina native, delivers entrancing, powerful vocals that elevate the song and contrast Moe’s more subdued, reflective sound. Kodoku’s feature enforces the idea that there is a strength that can be conjured on the part of the individual to survive and take on demanding and draining avenues found in life. An emphasis, nonetheless, is placed on the cost of sacrifice and is questioned in the line, “Was it worth it, baby, what’s your worth?”

What’s Next?

Of the five elements of hip-hop, graffiti was established as the foundation behind the visual dimensions of the genre. The single art for “Brink” displays a silver humanoid figure being dragged under the weight of heavy chains through an ethereal plain by a hidden force and is more than fitting to serve as a window into the heart of the song.

“Brink” may be new to the airwaves but is surely to be followed soon enough by more work from MoeSOS DC. The offerings from MoeSOS are extensive enough to satisfy until that time comes. Find his work on all streaming platforms and show some love with a follow @moesosdc.gv

Ben “Danger” Matthews | PCE

Chief Word Person