Moses Boyd’s ‘Dark Matter’ shortlisted for the 2020 Hyundai Mercury Prize
Moses Boyd’s ‘Dark Matter’ shortlisted for the 2020 Hyundai Mercury Prize
“An album designed for the feet as much as the head” – Q Magazine 4*“Producer albums can often be noodly, navel-gazing affairs… this isn’t one of those” – Crack Magazine 8/10“Deftly, it sounds like an ode to the various genres that the UK can claim and champion” – DJ Mag 8.5/10“Ridiculously gifted” – Mojo 4*“This reframes jazz in new forms for a new generation and the results are exciting as hell” – Mixmag 8/10
Moses Boyd’s groundbreaking album ‘Dark Matter’ has been nominated for the 2020 Hyundai Mercury Prize. The shortlist was chosen by an independent judging panel and the shortlist was revealed on Lauren Laverne’s show on BBC Radio 6 Music on Thursday 23 July. As all events are currently subject to Government guidelines, it is likely that a live awards show will not be happening in September as planned.
However the overall winner of the 2020 Hyundai Mercury Prize will be announced on 24 September 2020. Moses’ landmark album ‘Dark Matter’ was released into the world in February, a bold statement from a young auteur threading several musical traditions into a bold new tapestry: the raw energy of grime and afrobeats and the rolling club rhythms of the London underground combined with the freewheeling creativity and collaborative spirit of his jazz training.
Moses recently shared the debut music video for his acclaimed single ‘Stranger Than Fiction’ – watch here.
The album follows 2018’s ‘Displaced Diaspora’, which drew material from Moses’ early pioneering tracks including the breakthrough dancefloor crossover ‘Rye Lane Shuffle’. ‘Dark Matter’ is Moses’ debut fully fledged album and sees him take centre stage as songwriter, producer and bandleader, with features including previous collaborators Obongjayar & Klein alongside some familiar faces from the London jazz scene including Nubya Garcia, Poppy Ajudha & mentor Gary Crosby OBE. A double MOBO & Jazz FM Award winner, Boyd’s live and studio collaborations have been as varied as they have been prolific, from touring with Sampha & Kelsey Lu, to drumming on Sons of Kemet’s Mercury-nominated album, to his recent collaboration with South African “Gqom king” DJ Lag, which made its way onto Beyoncé’s official soundtrack for The Lion King. His talents have trickled over into fashion & film, scoring the Men’s Dunhill Paris Fashion shows for the last three years. Moses is also the most nominated artists in the AIM Independent Music Awards 2020 with 3 nominations, including the prized Best Independent Album award.
Stream ‘Dark Matter’ HERE / Buy it HERE
More praise for ‘Dark Matter’: “It’s Dark Matter’s lack of regard for traditional boundaries that makes it so engaging” – Loud & Quiet 8/10“This is not pastiche or revival – this is jazz created in a distinctly London accent” – Uncut 8/10“Dynamic, shapeshifting” – Clash 9/10“ Dark Matter is a spectacular debut” – Record Collector 4*“A sound that is inextricable from his London roots” – The Wire
Moses Boyd Online
Facebook | Instagram | Spotify